Varicocele-associated decrease in antioxidant defenses.

Varicocele is associated with an oxidative stress condition. We have measured the antioxidant defenses of varicocele patients both at the local (seminal plasma) and systemic (blood plasma) levels. The antioxidant defenses, as evaluated by the total reactive antioxidant potential parameter, decrease both in the seminal (controls 676+/-128; patients = 386+/-186) and blood (controls = 519+/-63; patients = 268+/-110) plasma of varicocele patients. Compared with controls, patients with both normal spermiograms and spermiograms altered in motility or morphology demonstrated lower values. The results obtained suggest that varicocele-associated oxidative stress is evidenced both at the local and systemic levels. This conclusion is supported by results showing that urinary spontaneous chemiluminescence is also significantly increased in the patients.