[Serum concentrations of estradiol and testosterone in patients with oligoasthenozoospermia and asthenozoospermia].

In order to study the possible influence of circulating concentrations of estradiol (E2) and testosterone (T) on the spermatogenesis, 43 subjects, 21 to 43 years of age; 16 of them with oligoasthenozoospermia; 16 with "pure" asthenozoospermia, and 11 with normal semen study, were studied. This last group was taken as control for results evaluation and comparison. In all the cases, the presence of genitourinary infection, as well as testicular lesions and varicocele, was previously discarded. Serum concentrations of estradiol, testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and prolactin (PRL), were determined by radio-analysis, in fasting blood samples. The results are shown as average values +/- standard error (mean +/- SE). Statistical analysis of differences between the groups, was done by "t" Student test in paired samples. Patients with oligoasthenozoospermia showed a significant increase (56.9%) (less than 0.001) in estradiol circulating levels, while T, FSH, LH and PRL concentrations were below normal band, and there were not significant differences between the three groups. These results suggest that the excess of estradiol or of some of its metabolites could affect normal production of spermatozoa, maybe due to a direct effect on germinal epithelium of testicle.