CONCENTRATION OF SEMINAL PLASMA ZINC IN VARIOUS CLASSES OF INFERTILE MALE
The present study was designed to analyze the level of seminal zinc among different groups of infertile males and to correlate it with sperm concentration, active, sluggish and immotile fractions of seminal parameters, with an objective being to establish the role of zinc. This descriptive analytical study was carried out in the Department of Reproductive Physiology/Health, Public Health Laboratories Division, National Institute of Health, Islamabad in a 5 years period from 2002 to 2006. The result showed that seminal zinc was 702.92 ± 10.60, 598.48 ± 12.95, 617.54 ± 9.55, 542.29 ± 22.75, 710.36 ± 7.87, 712.06 ± 7.96, 789.36 ± 21.33 and 762.06 ± 8.99 in azoospermic, oligozoospermic, asthenozoospermic, oligoasthenozoospermic, teratozoospermic, normozoospermic, polyzoospermic and proven fathers group, respectively. Findings of the study showed that semen zinc was several folds higher in polyzoospermic subjects as compared to other groups, while it was found to be lower in oligozoospermic, azoospermic and oligoasthenozoospermic groups. In case of proven fathers, the levels of semen zinc varied non significantly (p > 0.05) with polyzoospermic cases. It is concluded from the results of the study that decreased concentration of seminal plasma zinc affect sperm count while increased level causes decreased sperm motility.
Muhammad Shoaib Khan
Bannu, Pk
