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. 2025 Oct 28;43(1):317–328. doi: 10.1007/s10815-025-03697-x

Table 4.

Comparison of basic characteristics, sperm parameters and hormone levels by SHIM questionnaire score category

Normal (n = 490) Mild (n = 148) Moderate/
severe (n = 65)
p-value
Age 36.9 (5.3) 38.2 (6.4) 39.2 (5.2)  < 0.001
BMI (kg/m2) 0.050
 ≤ 24.9 60 (29.0) 24 (33.3) 8 (23.5)
 25–29.9 105 (50.7) 39 (54.2) 13 (38.2)
 30 +  42 (20.3) 9 (12.5) 13 (38.2)
Missing 283 76 31
Alcohol consumption 325 (66.3) 86 (58.1) 27 (41.5)  < 0.001
Smoking 61 (12.4) 25 (16.9) 12 (18.5) 0.21
Frequency of feeling down, depressed, or hopeless in the past month  < 0.001
 Not at all 105 (72.4) 26 (46.4) 12 (48.0)
 Several days 34 (23.4) 24 (42.9) 8 (32.0)
 More than half the days 4 (2.8) 6 (10.7) 5 (20.0)
 Nearly every day 2 (1.4) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0)
 Missing 345 92 40
Frequency of little interest or pleasure in doing things in the past month 0.004
 Not at all 113 (77.9) 34 (60.7) 11 (44.0)
 Several days 27 (18.6) 18 (32.1) 11 (44.0)
 More than half the days 4 (2.8) 3 (5.4) 3 (12.0)
 Nearly every day 1 (0.7) 1 (1.8) 0 (0.0)
 Missing 345 92 40
Semen volume (ml) 2.8 (1.4) 2.8 (1.5) 2.8 (1.5) 0.61
Sperm motility (%) 22.9 (11.1) 21.8 (11.6) 22.6 (13.1) 0.60
Sperm morphology (%) 11.5 (9.1) 12.5 (10.0) 13.8 (10.8) 0.26
Sperm viability (%) 66.3 (15.2) 61.8 (18.7) 61.1 (20.9) 0.029
Sperm concentration (M/ml) 40.4 (43.5) 43.8 (50.8) 47.7 (56.1) 0.71
DFI (%) 27.5 (15.0) 32.9 (20.7) 32.0 (21.8) 0.087
DFI category 0.092
 < 30% 312 (63.7) 81 (54.7) 36 (55.4)
 ≥ 30% 178 (36.3) 67 (45.3) 29 (44.6)
Testosterone 14.3 (6.0) 13.1 (5.5) 12.4 (4.1) 0.10
 Missing 220 66 19
FSH 5.5 (3.7) 5.7 (4.4) 5.5 (3.2) 0.90
 Missing 219 65 18
LH 5.1 (2.5) 4.7 (2.5) 5.5 (2.4) 0.077
 Missing 220 65 18
Prolactin 8.7 (4.7) 9.0 (4.4) 8.9 (4.2) 0.64
 Missing 205 58 20
ADAM positive  < 0.001
 Negative (%) 343 (70.0) 57 (38.5) 12 (18.5)
 Positive (%) 147 (30.0) 91 (61.5) 53 (81.5)

Data are presented as mean (SD), or as n (%).DFI, DNA fragmentation index; BMI, body mass index; FSH, follicle-stimulating hormone; LH, luteinizing hormone; ADAM, The Androgen Deficiency in Aging Males; SHIM, The Sexual Health Inventory for Men

Bold values represent statistical significancy - a p-value <0.05