Effect of cigarette smoking on antioxidant levels and presence of leukocytospermia in infertile men: a prospective study.

Instituto de Biotecnologia, Universidade de Caxias do Sul, Caxias do Sul, Brazil. fabio@conception-rs.com.br

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of cigarette smoking on antioxidant levels and the presence of leukocytospermia in infertile men. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Academic medical center. PATIENT(S): Ten fertile donors and 112 infertile patients were included in the study. INTERVENTION(S): None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Semen analysis was performed according to the World Health Organization guideline. The activity of the superoxide dismutase was based on the adrenochrome concentration, and the catalase activity was determined by the velocity of hydrogen peroxide consumption. RESULT(S): Lower levels of superoxide dismutase and catalase were seen in infertile patients compared with fertile donors. Superoxide dismutase was significantly correlated with sperm concentration and negatively correlated with leukocytospermia. In addition, leukocytospermia was inversely correlated with sperm motility. Superoxide dismutase levels were negatively related to cigarette smoking. CONCLUSION(S): Cigarette smoking may impair sperm motility and decrease the antioxidant activity (negative correlation with superoxide dismutase) in the seminal plasma.

PMID: 18462724 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]