Aim: To assess the relation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidants in the internal spermatic vein blood compared to the peripheral venous blood.

Methods: Sixty-eight infertile oligoasthenozoospemic patients associated with varicocele were investigated. During inguinal varicocelectomy, blood samples of internal spermatic as well as median cubital veins were withdrawn. Three ROS factors (malondialdehyde [MDA], hydrogen peroxide H2O2, nitric oxide [NO]) and four antioxidants (superoxide dismutase [SOD], catalase [Cat], glutathione peroxidase [GPx] and vitamin C) were estimated in these blood samples.

Results: Mean levels of tested ROS factors were significantly higher in the internal spermatic venous blood compared to those in the peripheral one (mean SD) (MDA 18.7 1.4 nmol/mL vs. 15.4 1.4 nmol/mL, H2O2 43.6 8.0 mol/mL vs. 30.8 8.1 mol/mL, NO 2.3 0.5 nmol/L vs. 1.6 0.4 nmol/L, P < 0.01). Mean levels of tested antioxidants were significantly lower in the internal spermatic venous blood compared to those in the peripheral one (superoxide dismutase 1 690.7 130.0 U/mL vs. 1 818.5 143.0U/mL, catalase 38.9 6.1 mol/Lvs. 47.9 10.2 mol/L, GPx 20.4 8.1 U/mL vs. 23.0 8.4 U/mL, vitamin C 0.3 0.1 vs. 0.4 0.1 mg/dL, P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Internal spermatic venous blood of infertile male cases associated with varicocele demonstrated elevated levels of ROS and decreased levels of antioxidants compared to peripheral venous circulation.

Keywords: male infertility, varicocele, spermatic vein, reactive oxygen species, antioxidants

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