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11–14 APRIL, 2018, HELSINKI, FINLAND
14:46–14:49
S10-3 (PP)
★
TOTAL MOTILE COUNT (TMC) INCREASES WITH
AGE IN ADOLESCENT VARICOCELE PATIENTS; SPERM
CONCENTRATION IS AN AGE INDEPENDENT PARAMETER
David KEENE and Raimondo CERVELLIONE
Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Department of Paediatric Urology, Manchester, UNITED KINGDOM
PURPOSE
Total motile count (TMC) has been reported recently to improve overtime with conservative and
surgically managed varicocele patients 14.8–21.8 years. The aim of this study is to identify if
TMC is correlated with age and can be reliably used to assess changing in fertility in adolescent
varicocele patients.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Data was prospectively collected from a single institution from 2009 to 2017. All post-pubertal vari-
cocele patients aged 12 to 18 years who successfully produced semen samples by masturbation
were included. Sperm parameters were recorded, TMC calculated and data presented as median
(IQ range). The correlation with age was analysed using Kendall’s rank correlation and 2-sided
confidence intervals, p<0.05 was considered significant.
RESULTS
135 sperm samples were analysed from 109 adolescent patients (17 visible and 92 palpable left
sided varicoceles). Median patient age was 15.9 years (15.0–17.1).
The following subgroups were identified:
Group A (72 samples) symmetrical testicular volumes managed conservatively
Group B (9 samples) asymmetrical testicular volumes awaiting surgery
Group C (29 samples) undergone surgery for asymmetrical testicular volumes
Group D (25 samples) undergone surgery for pain
Parameter
Median
(Interquartile range)
Kendal’s rank
Correlation coefficient (r)
P value 2-sided
confidence
interval
P value sub-group
analysis
Semen volume
(mls)
1.9 (1.0-3.4)
0.24
<0.0001*
0.0002* (Group A)
Total motile
count (mls)
27.5 (5.5-56.0)
0.24
<0.0001*
0.007* (Group A)
0.03* (Group A)
Concentration
(millions/ml)
31.0 (10.2-56.0)
0.10
0.09
Forward motility
(%)
50 (35-50.5)
0.11
0.06
0.02* (Group C)
*p<0.05
The semen volume and total motile count was significantly correlated with age in the overall and
sub group analysis.
CONCLUSIONS
TMC increases with age in the adolescent period and therefore cannot be reliably interpreted in
adolescent varicocele patients. Sperm concentration and forward motility should be used instead.
14:49–14:58
Discussion