Predictors of improved seminal parameters and fertility after varicocele repair in young adults.

The aim of our study was to determine hormonal or biochemical markers in patients with clinically palpable left varicocele but without a history of infertility, with especial emphasis on nitric oxide, related with improved seminal parameters after varicocelectomy. Semen samples were obtained from 202 patients with left varicocele grade II or III. Nitric oxide levels in seminal plasma were determined by the Griess technique. Testicular volume was determined ultrasonographically in both testes and hormonal profile was measured. The post-operative sperm concentration increased significantly in patients with normal sperm count or moderate oligozoospermia, but we did not find an increment in sperm count in patients with mild and severe oligozoospermia after surgery. The mean percentage of normal motility significantly increased after surgery, but we did not observe a significant increment in morphologically normal sperm count and testicular volume after varicocele repair. Moreover, we did not find any correlation between nitric oxide concentrations and severity of oligozoospermia, asthenozoospermia or abnormal sperm morphology in this population. It is concluded that in the general male population, varicocele repair is not associated with an improved semen profile in all cases. We did not observe a significant correlation between nitric oxide concentrations and semen profile.

[Analytical expression of acid-base equilibrium in human blood. II. Verified application of a subroutine program]. / L'espressione analitica degli squilibri acido-basici nel sangue umano. II. Verifica applicativa di un programma di subroutine.

A program listing of a subroutine for conversion of seven human physiological parameters: pH-pO2-pCO2-Hb-Ht-the subject's temperature T and the plasmaprotein content PP into whole blood base excess is detailed for use with a medium seized electronic calculator coupled with a data printer. The operating instructions are also given. The subroutine is self-contained and can easily accept a correction of the empirical factors which are in animals different from human. Its use was tested in a series of 36 clinical samples of blood and the results were compared wih those obtained on the same samples with three different nomograms. No statistically significant difference was found between the four methods.

[Analytical expression of acid-base equilibrium in human blood. I. Editing of a subroutine program]. / L'espressione analitica degli squilibri acido-basici nel sangue umano. I. Redazione di un programma di subroutine.

A subroutine for evaluating the acid-base status in human blood is described. It employs as inputs seven parameters: pH-pO2-pCO2-Hb-Ht-the subject's temperature T and the plasmaprotein content PP and is based on a series of mathematical interrelationships existing between these various blood constituents. As output it returns the base excess (BE) of the whole blood and a number of pertinent data relating to the acid-base status and to the gas transport mechanisms in erythrocytes and plasma. An important advantage of this subroutine on other major procedures is that it can be accommodated into the memory space of a medium seized electronic calculator.