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Biomedical subjects

G Haidl

Publications and source records attributed to G Haidl.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

[Asthenozoospermia--a multifactorial symptom].

For the clarification of sperm motility disorders, changes in the flagella must be differentiated from influences exerted by the seminal fluid and extrinsic factors. The disorders of the flagella may be testicular or epididymal in origin. Only by taking account of these aspects of etiology and pathogenesis, will a rational therapeutic approach be possible.

Ciliary Motility Disorders

[Epididymal maturation of human spermatozoa].

The role of the human epididymis in spermatozoa maturation is demonstrated by means of several sperm function tests, with the aid of which, the various stages in the fertilization process can be mimicked. Accordingly, as they pass through the epididymis, spermatozoa become progressively more motile--which can be enhanced by the addition of phosphatidylcholine--inducibility of the acrosome reaction increases, and chromatin condensation is completed. Capability of fusing with the ovum is observed for spermatozoa from the epididymis, but not for those from the caput epididymis, while the spermatozoa from the latter already have normal acrosine activity. Ability to bind to the zona pellucida has not been adequately clarified. These results demonstrate the significance of the human epididymis for sperm maturation, even though a small percentage seem to reach adequate maturity in the caput epididymis.

Epididymis

New aspects of the aetiology of male fertility disorders.

Classification of male fertility disorders should take into account the cause and severity of a disturbance as well as its effect on the fertilizing capacity of spermatozoa. A reasonable approach is the analysis of sperm morphology according to the Düsseldorf classification, which is based on defects of spermatid differentiation. The kind and frequency of malformed spermatozoa allow conclusions about basic testicular and epididymal disorders, which will facilitate the detection of epididymal sperm motility disturbances and, therefore, initiation of causal treatment. The effect of inflammatory processes on fertility depends on the site of inflammation. In addition, the necessity for varicocele treatment can be determined more exactly under consideration of sperm morphology and hormonal tests. So far, irregular chromatin condensation as a cause of disturbed male fertility has not been attributed to genetic reasons, whereas microdeletions of the Y chromosome are increasingly being discussed. Both the role of oxygen radicals and the significance of environmental factors need to be investigated in the future.

Adult

[The aging man from the andrologic viewpoint].

In view of demographic trends, andrology will increasingly be concerned with problems of the aging male. These will involve aspects of fertility and general quality of life rather than specific clinical pictures. While there is considerable interindividual variation, fertility in men usually persists well into old age. However, increased occurrence of spontaneous mutations means a higher genetic risk for children of older fathers. Diminished androgen levels in old age lead to diminished sexual activity and changes in muscles and bones, which raise the question of hormone substitution.

Aged

[Pregnancy after drug therapy of severe andrological disorder].

Initial examination of an andrological patient revealed high-grade oligoasthenoteratozoospermia and ureaplasma infection. An elevated FSH level and significantly reduced testicular size were indicative of severely damaged testicular parenchyma. The presence of macrophages in the sperm smear was interpreted as a sign of chronic epididymitis. Antibiotic couple therapy with doxycycline, followed by a 3-month recovery period with combined treatment with vitamin C and E and zinc, resulted in a significantly improved spermiogram. After another 2 months intrauterine insemination resulted in pregnancy, and the birth of a healthy daughter followed. Preparation of the ejaculate was done by glasswool filtration. At that time, the patient had only mild teratozoospermia.

Adult

When to treat varicocele?

In order to find criteria that might prognosticate the outcome of varicocele treatment, we studied 48 patients with unilateral or bilateral varicocele. Examinations prior to therapy included GnRH test and determination of alpha-glucosidase in addition to normal sperm analysis. The morphological analysis was performed according to the Düsseldorf classification. Thirty-five of the 48 patients underwent varicocele sclerosing, 13 patients received no therapy. Ten normozoospermic donors served as control. At 6-7 months after sclerosing, the aforementioned parameters were checked in all patients. Almost all of the untreated patients had pathological GnRH tests initially and on control, and sperm parameters had deteriorated. In the treated group, 75% had pathological GnRH tests initially. Of these, 70% improved, particularly sperm morphology with reduction of hyperelongated forms, and 30% had GnRH tests returned to normal. However, improved sperm parameters were also observed in 75% of patients who had normal GnRH tests initially. The improvement of sperm parameters was not associated with significant changes in alpha-glucosidase (normal initial values). According to these results, the GnRH test does not seem to be an important prognostic parameter for the outcome of varicocele therapy. However, patients with pathological values should be treated. Determination of alpha-glucosidase as an epididymal marker is no decisive criterion either. The most significant improvement was observed in patients with increased occurrence of hyperelongated spermatozoa.

Case-Control Studies

Disturbances of sperm flagella due to failure of epididymal maturation and their possible relationship to phospholipids.

A recent classification of alterations of midpiece and flagellum describes the phenomenon of abnormal staining behaviour of human sperm flagella during Papanicolaou and Shorr staining. In these techniques, human sperm tails normally stain red; however, if epididymal function is disturbed, the flagella appear bluish, while they are devoid of other recognizable defects. Such spermatozoa were shown to be immotile, the motility disturbance being referred to as epididymal dysfunction. To define the physiological substrates of this descriptive phenomenon, caput spermatozoa from 10 epididymides of five patients who had undergone orchiectomy because of prostatic cancer were investigated. These spermatozoa showed severe motility disturbances, and almost all their flagella stained atypically. Attempts to stimulate such spermatozoa by pentoxifylline achieved a slight improvement in motility. However, addition of seminal plasma from fertile donors resulted in a significant improvement in motility, accompanied by an increase in the number of normally stained flagella. Even better results were achieved by incubation with liposomes made from soybean lipids, mainly phosphatidylcholine. It is concluded that poor motility and atypical staining behaviour of human caput sperm tails can at least partly be related to a lack of phospholipids in the flagellar membrane. Substitution of phospholipids may be a therapeutic approach in procedures using caput spermatozoa, although in addition to the improvement of sperm motility, the enhancement of fertilizing capacity remains to be established.

Aged

[Fertility disorders in the male. Part 2: Therapeutic possibilities].

In Part 1 of this paper, the various diagnostic procedures employed to establish the fertility status of the male are described. Apart from the important aspect of psychological counseling offered the couple, therapy includes surgical, including microsurgical procedures, and medicinal treatment. The possibilities of causal pharmacological treatment of disordered spermatogenesis are limited, while in the case of disturbances affecting the epididymis and other adnexa this approach is frequently successful. In the fertility clinic, endocrinological diseases are of only minor importance.

Diagnosis, Differential

[Male fertility disorders. 1: Diagnostic procedures].

The current situation in the diagnosis of male fertility disorders is discussed. The importance of an accurate diagnosis to provide a basis for rational therapy is emphasized. In addition, an accurate prognosis can obviate the need for reproductive-medical measures in the female partner in some cases.

Autoantibodies

Poor development of outer dense fibers as a major cause of tail abnormalities in the spermatozoa of asthenoteratozoospermic men.

For a reasonable analysis of sperm motility, consideration should be given to the morphology of the flagellum. Among various tail disturbances, the present paper describes a structural shaft defect that is characterized by variations in diameter, poor outline and/or lacking endpiece. Electron microscopical examinations, especially the negative staining technique, have shown that in addition to membrane alterations there is one essential cause for the limited extension of the outer dense fibres. This disturbance may be of genetic origin or due to toxic or inflammatory influences. Further molecular biological studies are required to detect the actual cause of this defect, for which there is so far no adequate therapy.

Humans

Guidelines for drug treatment of male infertility.

The prerequisite for rational therapy of male fertility disorders is an exact diagnosis. While the possibilities of influencing disturbances of spermiogenesis are limited, male adnexal diseases can be successfully treated in many cases. Drugs for the treatment of fertility disorders must be applied with this in mind, and empiric therapy is often performed in addition to causal treatment which, however, may be quite rationally determined. The therapeutic spectrum in andrology includes antibiotic and antiphlogistic agents, mast cell blockers, zinc, vitamins, and immunosuppressive drugs (corticosteroids). These agents are used for the treatment of inflammatory diseases of the testes and the accessory glands or for suppression of antispermatozoal antibodies. Hormonal disturbances are infrequently encountered by the andrologist, but they can be treated, with proven efficacy, with gonadotrophins, gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) or androgens. In certain cases that are not hormonally related, the use of antiestrogens (clomifene, tamoxifen) as stimulating agents may be successful. Furthermore, tissue hormone releasing proteases (kallikrein) can be used both therapeutically (especially in motility disturbances that are not due to structural flagellar defects) and diagnostically (in order to distinguish between inflammatory and noninflammatory testicular damage). Anticholinergics and alpha-sympathomimetics are applied to ameliorate ejaculation or emission failure. In addition to a review of these treatment forms, the development of new concepts, e.g. angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, is discussed.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones

[Electron microscopy findings in human spermatozoa with flagellar defects].

Spermatozoal motility disorders must be interpreted with reference to whether the flagella are intact or impaired. A new classification of alterations of midpiece and flagellum includes a shaft disturbance that is increasingly often observed and can be recognized by light microscopy. Electron microscope examinations have shown that missing or poorly developed outer dense fibres are one cause of this flagellar disorder. As suitable longitudinal sections are rarely obtained in transmission electron microscopy, the negative staining technique was used in addition for this purpose. This method was found to be most suitable for an exact analysis of the periaxonemal structures of the sperm flagellum. Consideration of this hitherto unknown flagellar disturbance is important, because various therapeutic approaches have had little success so far and patients should be referred in good time for other gynaecological or andrological treatments.

Cell Membrane

[Diagnosis and therapy of erectile disorders].

The current diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities in patients with erectile dysfunction are discussed. The anatomical and physiological aspects of erection, and the most frequent causes of erectile dysfunction are presented, with special consideration being given to the situation in the older man.

Aged