Effect of levofloxacin treatment on semen hyperviscosity in chronic bacterial prostatitis patients

Andrologia. 2016 May;48(4):380-8. doi: 10.1111/and.12456. Epub 2015 Aug 10.

Abstract

Changes in seminal fluid viscosity (SFV), reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, cytokines and seminal leucocyte concentration related to microbiological outcome in patients with chronic bacterial prostatitis (CBP) were studied. One hundred and ten infertile patients with CBP (positive sperm culture ≥10(5) colony-forming units [CFU] ml(-1), pathogens or Chlamydia in expressed prostatic secretions) were treated with levofloxacin 500 mg daily for 14 consecutive days per month for 3 months. In case of bacterial prostatitis, two conditions were examined: responders, eradication of 0 to <10(3) CFU ml(-1) (n = 78) and poor responders, >10(3) to <10(5) CFU ml(-1) (n = 32). Compared with poor responders, responders showed a significant increase of sperm progressive motility and a significant decrease in seminal leucocyte count, SFV, liquefaction time, ROS production (in all fractions and conditions), seminal tumour necrosis factor-α and interleukin 6. None of these variables showed significant differences compared with a control group of 37 fertile men. On the other hand, the poor responders showed significant changes in these variables compared with matched pretreatment values. In patients with CBP, antibiotic therapy alone leads to eradication in ≈71%, with improvement of sperm progressive motility, SFV and the framework of prooxidative factors. However, in the remaining ≈29% with poor antibiotic responsiveness, a deterioration of all variables is observed.

Keywords: Chronic bacterial prostatitis; levofloxacin; male infertility; reactive oxygen species; semen cytokines; semen quantitative hyperviscosity.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Observational Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / administration & dosage
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Bacterial Infections / complications
  • Bacterial Infections / drug therapy*
  • Bacterial Infections / microbiology
  • Chlamydia
  • Chronic Disease
  • Humans
  • Infertility, Male / drug therapy
  • Infertility, Male / etiology
  • Interleukin-6 / analysis
  • Italy
  • Leukocyte Count
  • Levofloxacin / administration & dosage
  • Levofloxacin / therapeutic use*
  • Male
  • Prostatitis / complications
  • Prostatitis / drug therapy*
  • Prostatitis / microbiology
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Semen / chemistry*
  • Semen / drug effects
  • Sperm Motility / drug effects
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / analysis
  • Viscosity
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • IL6 protein, human
  • Interleukin-6
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • TNF protein, human
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Levofloxacin