无精子症患者睾丸组织病理分型与血清抑制素B关系的研究

目的:探讨无精子症患者睾丸组织病理分型与血清抑制素B(INH B)水平间的关系,了解血清INH B在评估无精子症患者睾丸生精功能状态的敏感性和特异性。方法:对83例无精子症患者进行睾丸活组织病理检查诊断,根据病理形态的不同分为:唯支持细胞综合征组(n=21)、生精功能低下组(n=20)、生精阻滞组(n=24)和生精功能基本正常组(n=18)。患者睾丸活检前分别测定其血清INH B、卵泡刺激素(FSH)、黄体生成素(LH)及睾酮(T)水平。结果:上述4组血清INH B水平分别为(20.85±18.78)、(67.25±40.98)、(73.63±25.54)和(149.48±27.92)ng/m l。INH B水平在生精阻滞组与生精功能低下组之间差异无显著性(P>0.05),其他各组间以及与上述两组血清INH B水平间差异均有极显著性(P<0.001);FSH水平在生精阻滞组与基本正常组间差异无显著性(P>0.05),其他各组间以及与上述两组血清FSH水平间差异均有显著性(P<0.05);4组血清LH及T水平之间无相关性。结论:血清INH B水平在生精小管生精功能受损时明显降低,唯支持细胞综合征者下降最为显著。血清INH B水平可直接反映睾丸生精功能的总体状态,是判断无精子症患者睾丸生精功能更有效的诊断指标。

Relationship Between Pathological Alterations of Spermatogenic Impairment and Serum Inhibin B Concentration in Patients with Azoospermia

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between pathological alterations of spermatogenic impairment in seminiferous tubules and serum inhibin B concentration in patients with azoospermia and to verify the significance of INH B in evaluating spermatogenesis. METHODS: Eighty-three cases of azoospermia underwent testicular biopsy for the purpose of diagnosis. In accordance with the pathological alterations of spermatogenesis in seminiferous tubules, the samples were divided into four groups: Sertoli cell-only syndrome (n = 21); hypospermatogenesis (n = 20); maturation arrest (n = 24) and almost normal spermatogenesis (n = 18). Serum INHB and FSH, LH, T concentrations were tested before testicular biopsy for each patient respectively. RESULTS: The INHB levels were (20. 85 +/- 18.78) pg/ml, (67.25 +/- 40.98) pg/ml, (73.63 +/- 25.54) pg/ml and (149.48 +/- 27.92) pg/ml in the above four groups, respectively. There was no significant statistical difference in the level of serum INH B between maturation arrest and hypospermatogenesis groups (P > 0.05), and there was a very significant difference in almost normal spermatogenesis group and the other three groups, respectively (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the concentration of serum FSH when maturation arrest group compared with spermatogenesis group (P > 0.05), whereas between the other two groups and between each of them and maturation arrest or almost normal spermatogenesis there was a very significant difference in the level of serum FSH (P < 0.05); The concentrations of LH and T were not significantly different among the four groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Serum INHB concentration was decreased when spermatogenesis got impaired. It dropped the most markedly in Sertoli cell-only syndrome group. INH B reflects directly the spermatogenic function in seminiferous tubules of the testis. Therefore, it could be considered valuable for spermatogenesis and potential fertility in patients with azoospermia.