Risk factors for developing pain in normospermic patients with varicocoele.

To assess the possible risk factors for developing pain in normospermic adult varicocoele patients, 42 adult patients with left painful varicocoele (group 1) and 35 age-matched patients with left painless varicocoele (group 2) were recruited to this study. All the patients had normal semen quality (spermatozoa density, motility and morphology). Pain score on a 10-cm visual analogue scale was used to assess the scrotal pain as a result of varicocoele. The severity of pain was defined as follows: mild pain (1-3 cm), moderate pain (4-6 cm) and severe pain (7-10 cm). The parameters for comparison included body mass index (BMI), the distance from the renal hilum to scrotum (DRS), semen quality and pH value, serum concentration of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin, testosterone, alkaline phosphatase (Alk-p), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), testicular volume and discrepancy (%), grade of varicocoele and peak retrograde flow (PRF) and spontaneous venous reflux (SVR) by colour Doppler ultrasound and scrotal temperature (ST). The mean ages were 27.8 and 27.1 years old in groups 1 and 2, respectively. By multivariate analysis, patients in group 1 had significantly higher PRF, ST, DRS and rate of SVR, and lower BMI than those in group 2. Furthermore, there were significant differences in PRF, DRS and BMI among patients in group 1 with different degrees of pain. Conclusively, normospermic adult patients with left painful varicocoele had significantly higher peak retrograde flow, ST, distance from the renal hilum to scrotum, and rate of spontaneous venous reflux and lower BMI than those with left painless varicocoele. Furthermore, varicocoele patients with severe pain had significantly higher peak retrograde flow and distance from the renal hilum to scrotum, and lower BMI than those with moderate and mild pain.