Association between varicocele and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

PURPOSE: To evaluate the relationship between varicocele and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) via color duplex sonography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-four male patients with COPD (age range, 50-89 years; mean +/- SD, 66 +/- 9) and 44 male healthy controls (age range, 47-75 years; mean +/- SD, 65 +/- 6) were evaluated with color duplex sonography for unilateral or bilateral varicocele. RESULTS: The incidence of right, left, and bilateral varicocele was 47.7%, 65.9%, and 38.6% respectively, in the COPD group, versus 22.7%, 52.3%, and 13.6% in the control group. The incidence of right and bilateral varicocele in the COPD group was significantly higher than in the control group (p < 0.05). The incidence of varicocele also increased with increase in COPD severity. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of varicocele in COPD patients is high. Varicocele might be one of the most important causes of scrotal pain and infertility in COPD patients.