The concentration of nitrite in seminal plasma does not correlate with sperm concentration, sperm motility, leukocytospermia, or sperm culture.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To correlate the concentration of nitrite (the stable metabolite of nitric oxide) in seminal plasma with sperm number and motility, leukocytospermia, and sperm culture. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Academic research institution. PATIENT(S) Seventy normozoospermic or dyspermic men enrolled in an artificial insemination/in vitro fertilization program. INTERVENTION(S) Semen samples (n = 70) were checked for sperm concentration, total sperm count, sperm motility, seminal leukocyte concentration, and sperm culture; similarly, the concentration of nitrite in seminal plasma was measured by Griess reaction. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Measurement of nitrite concentration in seminal plasma and its correlation with sperm concentration, total sperm count, sperm motility, leukocytospermia, and sperm culture. RESULT(S) The concentration of nitrite in seminal plasma does not correlate with sperm concentration, total sperm count, or with the proportion of immotile or rapid-forward motile spermatozoa. Moreover, the concentration of nitrite in seminal plasma is not significantly increased when sperm culture is positive, nor does it correlate with leukocyte concentration in semen. CONCLUSION(S) Our results do not support the hypothesis that in vivo nitric oxide synthesis affects sperm function; alternatively, our results could suggest that nitrite in the seminal plasma is not a sensitive marker of in vivo nitric oxide synthesis.