Table 2.
Sperm quality in relation to timing after COVID-19 infection.
| Characteristic | Time lapse since COVID infection |
P value | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short 0–31 days | Intermediate 32–62 days | Long 63 (+) days | Total 0–181 days | ||
| No. of participants | 35 | 51 | 32a | 118a | |
| Sperm concentration <15 million/mL | 13 (37.1%) | 15 (29.4%) | 2 (6.3%) | 30 (25.4%) | .003 |
| Total no. of sperm/ejaculateb | 82.8 ± 109.0 | 98.4 ± 113.6 | 131.4 ± 9.1 | 101.6 ± 8.0 | |
| Progressive motility <32%c | 21 (60%) | 16/43 (37.2%) | 8/29 (27.6%) | 45/107 (42.1%) | .02 |
| Total motile count <40%c | 18 (51.4%) | 11/43 (25.6%) | 6/29 (2.7%) | 35/107 (32.7%) | .01 |
| Morphology ideal shape <4% | 27 (77.1%) | 38 (74.5%) | 25 (78.1%) | 90 (76.3%) | |
| MAR IgG >10% | 1/33 (3.0%)d | 3/50 (6.0%) | 0/31 (.0%) | 4/114 (3.5%) | |
| MAR IgA >10% | 3/30 (1.0%)d | 5/45 (11.1%) | 7/31 (22.6%) | 15/106 (14.2%) | |
| HDS >15% | 2 (5.7%) | 6 (11.8%) | 0 | 8 (6.8%) | |
| DFI >25% | 10 (28.6%) | 6 (11%) | 5 (15.6%) | (17.8%) | .049 |
| SARS-CoV-2 RNA in semen | 0 (.0%) | 0 (.0%) | 0 (.0%) | 0 (.0%) | |
Note: DFI = DNA fragmentation index; HDS = high DNA stainability; MAR = mixed erythrocyte-spermatozoa antiglobulin reaction.
a
Semen quality parameters were analyzed in 118 semen samples (2 excluded due to vasectomy).
b
Total number of sperm/ejaculate was analyzed on semen samples that subjects could fully collect (no semen was lost).
c
Mobility parameters ware analyzed on semen samples that were analyzed in the laboratory within 4 hours after semen production.
d
In one case, MAR IgG and MAR IgA were >40%, indicating immunologic infertility.