Journal of Reproduction & Infertility

Journal of Reproduction & Infertility

Evaluation of the Utility of Seminal Plasma Resistin and Leptin in Predicting Successful Surgical Sperm Retrieval in Men with Non-Obstructive Azoospermia

Authors
Medhat Amer 1
Wael Zohdy 2
Sameh Fayek GamalEl Din 2
Hanan Moawad 3
Dina Hasan El Saedy 4
Eman Zaki Gamal 4
Ahmed Ragab 5
1 Department of Andrology, Sexology and STDs, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt; Adam International Hospital, Giza, Egypt
2 Department of Andrology, Sexology and STDs, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
3 Department of Clinical and Chemical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Beni Suef, Egypt
4 Egypt Ministry of Health and Population, Cairo, Egypt
5 Department of Andrology, Sexology and STDs, Faculty of Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Beni Suef, Egypt
10.18502/jri.v24i2.12496
Abstract
Background: The purpose of the current study was evaluation of the utility of seminal plasma (SP) resistin and leptin in predicting successful surgical sperm retrieval (SSR) in men with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA). Methods: This prospective comparative study was conducted in the andrology clinic of a specialized fertility center. In total, 53 NOA men as candidates for either first time micro‐testicular sperm extraction (micro-TESE) or repeat micro-TESE and 28 normozoospermic controls were included. ELISA was used for measurement of SP resistin and leptin levels in all participants. Significance level was defined as p<0.05. Results: The current study demonstrated a significant positive correlation between estradiol (E2) level in serum and SP resistin (r=0.342, p=0.025). Also, there was a highly significant positive correlation between SP leptin and SP resistin (r=0.568, p=0.001). Interestingly, SP leptin was the only variable that demonstrated a significant correlation with eventful micro-TESE outcome in men who underwent micro-TESE for the first time. Finally, ROC curve showed that SP leptin level of 4.05 ng/ml predicted successful SSR in men who underwent micro-TESE for the first time with a sensitivity of 73.3% and a specificity of 75% as 11 out of 27 (41%) cases showed eventful micro-TESE at or above this cut-off level [AUC of 0.747, 95% CI, lower bound of 0.555, and upper bound of 0.939, p=0.030]. Conclusion: SP leptin can be used as a non-invasive biomarker to predict successful SSR in NOA cases undergoing first time micro-TESE, while SP resistin failed to play the same role.
Keywords
leptin
Male infertility
Non
obstructive azoospermia
Resistin
Seminal plasma
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Journal of Reproduction & Infertility
Volume 24, Issue 2
Spring 2023
Pages 108-116