Document 0315
 DOCN  M9460315
 TI    The effects of disease progression and zidovudine therapy on semen
       quality in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 seropositive men.
 DT    9408
 AU    Politch JA; Mayer KH; Abbott AF; Anderson DJ; Fearing Research
       Laboratory, Department of Obstetrics,; Gynecology, and Reproductive
       Biology, Brigham and Women's; Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston,
       Massachusetts.
 SO    Fertil Steril. 1994 May;61(5):922-8. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/94229271
 AB    OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of disease progression and
       zidovudine antiretroviral therapy on semen parameters in human
       immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) seropositive men. DESIGN:
       Cross-sectional analysis of semen parameters of 166 HIV-1 seropositive
       men in various stages of disease progression as defined by peripheral
       CD4+ cell count. Clinical symptoms and zidovudine therapy status were
       obtained from medical records and clinical interviews. PATIENTS: Human
       immunodeficiency virus type 1 seropositive men participating in clinical
       studies at the Fenway Community Health Center (Boston, MA), the
       University of San Francisco (San Francisco, CA), and Brown University
       (Providence, RI). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Ejaculate volume; sperm
       concentration, motility, forward progression, morphology, total sperm
       count; seminal immature germ cell; and white blood cell (WBC)
       concentrations. RESULTS: Human immunodeficiency virus type 1
       seropositive men that were not on zidovudine therapy and were in early
       disease stage (> 200 CD4+ cells/mm3) had normal semen parameters as
       defined by World Health Organization criteria. In contrast untreated men
       in advanced disease stage (< or = 200 CD4+ cells/mm3) had significant
       reductions in sperm concentration and total sperm count and an increased
       percentage of abnormal sperm forms. Men receiving zidovudine
       antiretroviral therapy, regardless of disease stage, had normal semen
       parameters similar to those of untreated early disease stage patients.
       Seminal WBC concentrations were not affected significantly by disease
       progression but were reduced in patients receiving zidovudine.
       CONCLUSION: Most HIV-1-infected men in this study had semen parameters
       consistent with fertility. Disease progression was associated with
       reduced semen quality, but this effect appeared to be abrogated by
       zidovudine therapy. Zidovudine was also associated with a significant
       reduction of WBC numbers in semen. As seminal WBC are principal HIV-1
       host cells in ejaculates of HIV-1-infected men, this effect could
       explain recent laboratory and epidemiological evidence that zidovudine
       therapy is associated with a reduced prevalence of HIV-1 in semen and a
       lower rate of sexual transmission.
 DE    Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*DRUG THERAPY/EPIDEMIOLOGY/
       *PHYSIOPATHOLOGY  Adult  Comparative Study  Cross-Sectional Studies
       Human  HIV Seropositivity/*DRUG THERAPY/EPIDEMIOLOGY/*PHYSIOPATHOLOGY
       HIV-1/*IMMUNOLOGY  Leukocytes/PATHOLOGY/PHYSIOLOGY  Male  Middle Age
       Semen/DRUG EFFECTS/*PHYSIOLOGY  Severity of Illness Index  Sperm
       Count/DRUG EFFECTS  Sperm Motility/DRUG EFFECTS/PHYSIOLOGY
       Spermatozoa/DRUG EFFECTS/PATHOLOGY/PHYSIOLOGY  Support, U.S. Gov't,
       P.H.S.  Zidovudine/*THERAPEUTIC USE  JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).