High sex chromosome aneuploidy and diploidy rate of epididymal spermatozoa in obstructive azoospermic men.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the frequencies of sex chromosome aneuploidy and diploidy rate of epididymal spermatozoa from obstructive azoospermic men and its impact on intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes.

METHODS

Epididymal spermatozoa retrieved from 24 obstructive azoospermic men and ejaculated spermatozoa from 24 fertile donors were analyzed using triple color fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) techniques, in order to investigate the rates of diploidy and aneuploidy for chromosomes 18, X and Y.

RESULTS

Epididymal spermatozoa from obstructive azoospermic men had total sex aneuploidy, disomy 18, and diploidy rates significantly higher than ejaculated spermatozoa from normozoospermic fertile controls (1.44% vs 0.14%, 0.11% vs 0.02%, and 0.18% vs 0.02%, respectively; p < 0.005). There were no statistically significant differences in ICSI outcomes between the patients who had high and low epididymal sperm aneuploidy rate.

CONCLUSIONS

Epididymal spermatozoa from obstructive azoospermic patients had an elevated sex chromosome aneuploidy and diploidy rate. The increased frequency of chromosomal abnormalities did not have a direct effect on the ICSI outcome.