Spermatic and peripheral oestradiol levels in patients affected by azoospermia due to seminiferous tubular damage

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Abstract
Plasma levels of testosterone, androstenedione and estradiol were determined in the spermatic venous blood of both testes of 17 patients with azoospermia due to tubular damage (group I). The results were compared with those found in 5 patients affected by azoospermia of obstructive origin and 5 patients with an inguinal hernia (group II) Mean spermatic levels of testosterone and androstenedione were not significantly different in the 2 groups, while the mean (.+-. SE) estradiol spermatic level was significantly higher in patients of group I (5.02 .+-. 0.75 nM/l vs. 2.20 .+-. 0.36 nM/l; P < 0.05). While the testosterone/androstenedione and the androstenedione/estradiol ratios were not significantly different in the 2 groups, the mean (.+-. SE) testosterone/estradiol ratio was significantly lower in patients of group I (552.71 .+-. 80.94 vs. 939.86 .+-. 129.45; P < 0.025). Peripheral testosterone and androstenedione mean levels were not significantly different between the 2 groups while the mean peripheral estradiol level (.+-. SE) was significantly higher in group I (0.107 .+-. 0.021 nM/l vs. 0.038 .+-. 0.05 nM/l; P < 0.025). Peripheral estradiol was not significantly related to peripheral follicle stimulating hormone, nor to spermatic estradiol in both groups. Estradiol may be involved in the pathogenesis of some cases of male infertility.