Disease relevance of Varicocele

• Statistical analysis of the subgroups of testosterone-treated tall men and control men without varicocele and cryptorchidism revealed no differences in any ejaculate parameter [1].
• The varicocele: elevated serotonin and infertility [2].
• We examined whether tissue hypoxia occurred in the ISV of patients with varicocele by detecting the expression of HIF-1alpha [3].
• We determine whether inhibin B levels are low in adolescent boys with varicocele, and if there is a relationship between inhibin B and an exaggerated response to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (Gn-RH) stimulation testing, testicular hypertrophy and/or varicocele bilaterality [4].
• Clomiphene citrate, which has been shown to improve fertility in idiopathic oligospermia, was similarly tried in men with varicoceles [5].

Psychiatry related information on Varicocele

• To study the affect of bilateral varicocele (grade 3) on impotence and male infertility patients, 29 patients were selected from an outpatient clinic during 15 May 1998 to 15 August 1999 (the mean age was 33.9 +/- 6.3), 15 patients complaining of erectile dysfunction and 14 patients complaining of male infertility [6].

High impact information on Varicocele

• Sperm SHBG levels were lowest in fertile men and highest in patients with untreated varicocele, but these differences were not significant [7].
• To examine oxidative damage to blood proteins in the spermatic vein and seminal plasma antioxidant capacity of patients with varicocele, 30 young male patients with varicocele (group 1), 25 young male patients with subclinical varicocele (group 2), and 15 normal young males without varicocele (group 3) were recruited in this study [8].
• Oxidative damage to proteins and decrease of antioxidant capacity in patients with varicocele [8].
• We therefore evaluated the effects of alpha-human ANP (hANP) administration on testosterone plasma levels in peripheral and internal spermatic venous blood of young men (catheterized for contrast study of varicocele) [9].
• CONCLUSIONS: Microsurgical repair of varicoceles using isosulfan blue helps in identifying and preserving the lymphatic drainage [10].

Chemical compound and disease context of Varicocele

• Plasma testosterone in patients with varicocele and sexual inadequacy [11].
• Factors predicting the outcome of varicocele repair for subfertility: the value of the luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone test [12].
• The interrelationships among the varicocele, premature sloughing of immature sperm and serotonin are discussed [2].
• Formation of peroxynitrite from the reaction of nitric oxide with superoxide could be a causative factor for impaired sperm function in patients with varicocele [13].
• Androgen therapy of a varicocele [14].

Biological context of Varicocele

• CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge p53 expression that may reflect abnormal spermatogenesis has been documented for the first time in an experimental model of varicocele in the rat testis [15].
• p53 expression and apoptosis in varicocele in the rat testis [15].
• PURPOSE: Because varicocele is seen often in infertile men and oxidative stress has been implicated in sperm dysfunction, we assessed spermatozoal reactive oxygen species and seminal total antioxidant capacity in men with and without varicocele [16].
• The concentrations of Na, K, Cl, HCO3, LA, and urea, with calculation of the AG, as indirect indices of electrolyte balance and metabolic conditions prevailing in testicular environment, were determined in PB and SVB of 24 men with varicocele and 15 men with inguinal hernia [17].
• CONCLUSION: GST M1- genotype predisposes to increased oxidative damage to sperm of patients with varicocele [18].

Anatomical context of Varicocele

• In contrast, the antioxidant capacity of red blood cells was less in the varicocele veins, which was consistent with an increased rate of peroxynitrite production [13].
• Recent studies of morphologically abnormal spermatozoa have demonstrated disruption of the sperm head actin by cadmium, a cation reported to be present in high concentrations among some men with varicoceles [19].
• Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine sperm function (acrosin activity and induction of the acrosome reaction) in smokers (n = 30) and varicocele patients (n = 30) compared with normal fertile donors (n = 20) [20].
• We have measured the antioxidant defenses of varicocele patients both at the local (seminal plasma) and systemic (blood plasma) levels [21].
• To better understand the local renin-angiotensin system in Leydig cells of the human testis, the plasma renin activity (PRA) and plasma concentration of angiotensin II (PAII) in the left internal spermatic vein (ISV) and cubital vein (CV) were measured at the time of surgical repair of varicocele in 27 patients [22].

Gene context of Varicocele

• Effect of experimental varicocele on the expressions of Notch 1, 2, and 3 in rat testes: an immunohistochemical study [23].
• Under pathological conditions, e.g. varicocele, iNOS is up-regulated and is a possible source of NO overproduction [24].
• The effect of clomiphene citrate (CG) on sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) was studied in 10 oligozoospermic patients with varicocele and 6 normospermic men [25].
• HO-1 expression was significantly correlated with varicocele grade (P < 0.01 in grade 2 and 3 compared to control) and expression of 4-HNE-modified proteins (r = 0.508, P < 0.01) [26].
• Polymorphisms of glutathione S-transferase M1 and male infertility in Taiwanese patients with varicocele [18].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of Varicocele

• The relative intensity of the HIF-1alpha protein band was 10.92 +/- 2.70 in the control group and 73.15 +/- 8.93 in patients with varicocele (ie 7-fold higher) [3].
• Hemodynamics of the varicocele. Part II. Correlation among the results of renocaval pressure measurements, varicocele scintigraphy and phlebography [27].
• Testicular arterial perfusion in varicocele: the role of rapid sequence scintigraphy with technetium in varicocele evaluation [28].
• These findings support a possible rationale for controlled clinical trials of antioxidant supplementation in infertile men with varicocele [16].
• No significant differences in mean sex steroid levels were observed when comparing varicocele patients with normal sperm counts (VN) and those who had oligozoospermia (VO) [29].

References