Clinical and hormonal studies of subfertile males with varicocele.

To evaluate the hormonal factor in subfertile males with varicocele, FSH, LH, estradiol (E2), and testosterone (T) were assayed both from cubital and spermatic veins. The hormonal profile of patients showed no significant differences from the normal control group. Blood hormonal levels of E2 and T in the testicular veins were much higher than those in the cubital veins while FSH and LH levels showed no significant difference. FSH, LH, and testosterone blood levels in cubital and spermatic veins were statistically correlated. A preoperative hormonal study would be helpful in excluding cases in which varicocele is not the underlying cause of infertility.