Methylprednisolone treatment of immunologic infertility in male.

Over a 5-year period, 98 men (101 "cases") with immunologic infertility, as diagnosed by Kibrick and F-D sperm agglutination testing, were treated with one or more regimens of methylprednisolone (96 mg/day for 7 days). Among the 71 patients for whom complete follow-up data were obtained, 31 (44%) succeeded in achieving pregnancy in their partners within 12 months of the start of treatment. The pregnancy-achievers and nonachievers were compared with respect to their semen quality, Kibrick titers, and F-D agglutination before and after therapy. No single, clear-cut factor could be identified to explain, or predict, a successful outcome. However, some men did have improved semen quality; of these, 69% achieved a pregnancy in the partner. Furthermore, pregnancy was somewhat more likely to occur if the man had a decrease in Kibrick titer; a decrease in titer was more likely in men whose titers were higher initially. No correlation with F-D agglutination activity was found. side effects were of limited incidence; only 16% of the men had any discomfort at all, and only 2% of them had severe problems. However, all discomfort and problems were transient.