THE INCIDENCE OF ANTISPERM ANTIBODIES IN INFERTILITY PATIENTS WITH A HISTORY OF CRYPTORCHIDISM

Infertility in patients with a history of cryptorchidism is usually the result of oligo-asthenospermia. In this study we analyzed the incidence of antisperm antibodies in infertility patients with a history of cryptorchidism, general infertility patients and donors of known fertility. Of the cryptorchid patients 66% tested positive for antisperm antibodies compared to 2.6% of the control group of infertile patients and 2.8% of the donors of known fertility. Sperm progressive motility was significantly (p <0.05) decreased in the cryptorchid patients testing positive for antisperm antibodies compared to those testing negative for antisperm antibodies, and compared to both control groups. Of the patients treated for cryptorchidism by orchiopexy 52% were positive for antisperm antibodies, and the mean patient age at orchiopexy was significantly (p <0.01) higher in the positive antibody group (14.2 +/- 1.2 years old) than the negative antibody group (8.6 +/- 0.8 years old). While decreased sperm concentration, motility and morphology are usually the primary causes of infertility in patients with a history of cryptorchidism, it appears that the presence of antisperm antibodies is also increased in these patients, which may contribute to reduced fertility.