Effects of varicocele treatment in adolescents: a randomized study

Abstract

Objective: To study the effects of varicocele treatment on testicular function in adolescents.

Design: A prospective controlled study in 88 randomly selected adolescents.

Setting: All participants were referred to the fertility outpatient clinic of our university hospital.

Participants: All participants with a varicocele were randomly assigned into two groups. Group 1 (n = 33) was not treated, whereas group 2 (n = 34) was treated. A similar group of healthy volunteers without a varicocele served as a control group (group 3, n = 21).

Interventions: Testes volumes were measured at intake and during follow-up using an orchiometer. Semen analysis was performed according to standard procedures both at intake and after 1 year of follow-up. Serum hormone levels were determined at intake using a radioimmunoassay. Treatment was performed by means of transcatheter embolization of the left testicular vein.

Main outcome measures: Testes volumes and semen quality at intake and after 1 year of follow-up were compared within and between the three groups. Hormonal parameters were determined at intake only.

Results: Before treatment, the mean left testis volume in groups 1 (n = 26) and 2 (n = 27) (20.0 mL; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 18.2 to 21.8 and 21.6 mL; 95% CI: 19.4 to 23.8, respectively) were significantly smaller than those in the control group (n = 19) (24.5 mL; 95% CI: 22.7 to 26.4). During follow-up, left testis volumes of the treated group were comparable with those in the control group (24.2 mL; 95% CI: 22.2 to 26.1 and 24.8 mL; 95% CI: 23.0 to 26.7 respectively) and significantly (P < 0.001) different from the untreated group (20.3 mL; 95% CI: 18.8 to 21.8). A significant increase in left (P < 0.01) as well as right (P < 0.05) testis volume was observed after treatment. Semen parameters before treatment were not significantly different between the three groups. Sperm concentration increased significantly (P < 0.01) from 47.4 x 10(6)/mL (95% CI: 42.5 to 53.3) to 68.9 x 10(6)/mL (95% CI: 50.6 to 87.2) in the treated group, whereas semen quality in the untreated and control groups did not change. Although both testes volumes and sperm concentration improved in the treated group, these phenomena were not consistently correlated to each other.

Conclusions: Although not apparent in all adolescents, varicocele correction resulted in an increase in left testis volume and sperm concentration. At this moment, it is not clear if early preventive treatment of varicocele in adolescents, in time, will have a positive effect on testicular function.