Table IV.
Testicular inflammatory reactions in infertile men: correlations between clinical findings, degree of damage of the seminiferous epithelium and the prevalence of peritubular lymphocytic infiltrates.
| Testicular disorders | Obstruction | Unknown etiology | Congenital/early acquired disorder | Sertoli-cell-only syndrome# | Inflammatory reaction+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n = 17 | n = 106 | n = 77 | n = 27 | n = 33 | |
| Total testicular volume (ml) | 40.7 ± 5.0 | 35.4 ± 8.4 | 31.8 ± 7.8 | 26.8 ± 7.0 | 33.3 ± 8.2 |
| Serum FSH (IU/l) | 4.0 ± 2.3 | 6.7 ± 3.4 | 7.0 ± 4.8 | 13.5 ± 5.7 | 4.3 ± 5.2 |
| Mean Johnsen score§ | 8.6 ± 0.3 | 7.2 ± 1.6 | 6.2 ± 1.9 | 2.3 ± 0.8 | 6.3 ± 2.2 |
| Prevalence of peritubular lymphocytic infiltrates (%)$ | 11.8 | 19.8 | 31.2 | 51.6 | 84.9 |
*Retrospective analysis of testicular biopsies obtained from 260 asymptomatic men undergoing diagnostic work-up for infertility; data are mean values ± SD; modified from Schuppe et al. (2001).
§Modified according to de Kretser and Holstein (1976).
$Focal or multifocal; with or without perivascular infiltrates (cell density ranging from scattered to extensive).
#Heterogeneous subgroup, comprising both congenital and acquired forms.
+Considered as ‘primary’ pathology in the testis, in contrast to concomitant (‘secondary’) inflammatory reactions in the other subgroups.