A comparison of the sperm mixed‐agglutination reaction test with the peroxidase‐labelled protein A test for detecting antisperm antibodies in infertile men with varicocele

• Published in: BJU international Vol. 84; no. 7; pp. 835 - 838
• Main Authors: ISITMANGIL, G, YILDIRIM, S, ORHAN, I, KADIOGLU, A, AKINCI, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Science Ltd 01.11.1999; Blackwell
• Subjects: Agglutination Tests - methods; Antibodies - analysis; Biological and medical sciences; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Infertility, Male - immunology; Male; Male genital diseases; Male infertility; Medical sciences; Non tumoral diseases; Peroxidase; peroxidase‐labelled protein A; sperm mixed‐agglutination reaction; Spermatozoa - immunology; Staphylococcal Protein A; varicocele; Varicocele - immunology; Human; Immunopathology; Varicocele; Antibody; Semen; Etiopathogenesis; Exploration; Male; Histology; Pathology; Concomitant disease; Adult; Male sterility; Male genital diseases; Testicular diseases
• ISSN: 1464-4096; 1464-410X
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1464-410x.1999.00283.x

Objective  To compare the sperm mixed‐agglutination reaction (sMAR) with the peroxidase‐labelled protein A method (POPA) in infertile patients with varicocele. Patients, subjects and methods The study comprised 30 men with a history of varicocele‐associated infertility and 30 fertile men (control group). Antisperm antibodies against spermatozoa in the semen and against progenitor spermatozoa in testicular tissue were detected using the two methods. Results The tests were positive in 15 (50%) of patients with both the sMAR and the POPA methods, while no autoantibodies were detected in the control group. There were no significant differences between the methods. The sensitivity and specificity of both tests was ≈93%, with no significant difference between them (P>0.05). Conclusion Both methods may be used for detecting sperm autoantibodies in infertile patients with varicocele.