Biochemical parameters in evaluation of oligospermia.

In Pakistan, male infertility constitutes about 35% of all cases of infertility. The dysfunction can be at the level of the central nervous system or somewhere in the male genital tract. A study was conducted to screen cases of male infertility using various biochemical parameters. A total of 81 cases were screened. Oligospermia was seen in 13 (16%) patients. They were divided into severe and mild to moderate oligospermia. In severe oligospermia, there was an increase in serum FSH level with decrease in seminal transferrin and carnitine suggesting damage to sertoli cells. In mild to moderate oligospermia, serum FSH were normal with levels a slight decrease in the levels of transferrin and carnitine in semen indicating that sertoli cells were not significantly defective and the dysfunction could be somewhere else.