Abstract

Background

Varicocele is a high incidence and is considered to be the most common and correctable cause of male infertility. Oxidative stress (OS) plays a central role in the pathogenesis of varicocele-related male infertility. In addition to varicocelectomy, antioxidant supplementation seems to be an effective scheme for the treatment of varicocele-related male infertility, but it is still controversial. The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) supplementation on sperm quality in patients with varicocele-related male infertility.

Methods

In this randomized controlled clinical trial, we will randomize 80 patients with varicocele-related male infertility from Guilin People’s Hospital. The non-surgical observation group (n = 20) will receive ALA, the non-surgical control group (n = 20) will receive vitamin E, the surgical observation group (n = 20) will receive ALA after the operation, and the surgical control group (n = 20) will receive vitamin E after the operation. The course of treatment will be 3 months. The results will compare the changes in semen parameters, sex hormones, testicular volume, sperm DNA fragment index (DFI), seminal plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) between the groups at baseline and after 3 months of antioxidant supplementation.

Discussion

Whether it is necessary to use antioxidants in varicocele-related male infertility, how potent antioxidants should be used, postoperative application or non-surgical independent application still needs to be explored. This study attempts to compare the effects of two antioxidants (ALA and vitamin E) on sperm quality in patients with varicocele-related male infertility (surgical or non-surgical) and attempted to answer the above questions.

Trial registration

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR) ChiCTR2100054958. Registered on 29 December 2021

Details

Title
Effects of alpha-lipoic acid on sperm quality in patients with varicocele-related male infertility: study protocol for a randomized controlled clinical trial
Author
Zhang, Qi-Feng 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Wang, Sheng 2 ; Zhang, Han 2 ; Liu, Qi-Li 3 ; Wei, Yu 4 ; Deng, Wei 4 ; Wang, Chuang 4 ; Yang, Bo 4 

1  Guilin People’s Hospital, Department of Andrology, Guilin, China 
2  Guilin People’s Hospital, Department of Urology, Guilin, China 
3  Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University, Department of Vascular Surgery, Guilin, China (GRID:grid.443385.d) (ISNI:0000 0004 1798 9548) 
4  Guilin People’s Hospital, Department of Urology, Guilin, China (GRID:grid.443385.d) 
Pages
1002
Publication year
2022
Publication date
Dec 2022
Publisher
Springer Nature B.V.
e-ISSN
17456215
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-022-06951-0
ProQuest document ID
2753445427
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2022. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.