Correlation between DNA damage and sperm parameters: a prospective study of 1,633 patients.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate DNA fragmentation by using terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling in relation to World Health Organization parameters and computer-aided sperm analysis (CASA) in sperm to determine the possibility of obtaining a correlation among CASA parameters, sperm morphology, and DNA fragmentation.

DESIGN

Sperm analysis according to World Health Organization parameters, terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) for sperm DNA fragmentation, and CASA for sperm movement. Prospective study.

SETTING

All the patients were under clinical management, consulting for hypofertility at a fertility center in France.

PATIENT(S): One thousand six hundred thirty-three men who were referred for infertility investigation, including a complete sperm analysis.

INTERVENTION(S): Sperm analysis and DNA damage testing.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Sperm morphology, DNA fragmentation, and movement characteristics.

RESULT(S): One third of the patients had a TUNEL rate of >30%. Analysis of the 21 semen parameters tested revealed that 7 of them were significantly correlated with the TUNEL results.

CONCLUSION(S): World Health Organization sperm parameters and DNA damage are complementary, rather than strongly linked. This should be considered to more fully understand the paternal contribution in assisted reproductive technologies failures.