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Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology
Published in: Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology 1/2014

Open Access 01-12-2014 | Research

Evaluation of atorvastatin efficacy and toxicity on spermatozoa, accessory glands and gonadal hormones of healthy men: a pilot prospective clinical trial

Authors: Hanae Pons-Rejraji, Florence Brugnon, Benoit Sion, Salwan Maqdasy, Gerald Gouby, Bruno Pereira, Geoffroy Marceau, Anne-Sophie Gremeau, Joel Drevet, Genevieve Grizard, Laurent Janny, Igor Tauveron

Published in: Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology | Issue 1/2014

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Abstract

Background

Recommendations for cardiovascular disease prevention advocate lowering both cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol systemic levels, notably by statin intake. However, statins are the subject of questions concerning their impact on male fertility. This study aimed to evaluate, by a prospective pilot assay, the efficacy and the toxicity of a decrease of cholesterol blood levels, induced by atorvastatin on semen quality and sexual hormone levels of healthy, normocholesterolaemic and normozoospermic men.

Methods

Atorvastatin (10 mg daily) was administrated orally during 5 months to 17 men with normal plasma lipid and standard semen parameters. Spermatozoa parameters, accessory gland markers, semen lipid levels and blood levels of gonadal hormones were assayed before statin intake, during the treatment, and 3 months after its withdrawal.

Results

Atorvastatin treatment significantly decreased circulating low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and total cholesterol concentrations by 42% and 24% (p < 0.0001) respectively, and reached the efficacy objective of the protocol. During atorvastatin therapy and/or 3 months after its withdrawal numerous semen parameters were significantly modified, such as total number of spermatozoa (-31%, p < 0.05), vitality (-9.5%, p < 0.05), total motility (+7.5%, p < 0.05), morphology (head, neck and midpiece abnormalities, p < 0.05), and the kinetics of acrosome reaction (p < 0.05). Seminal concentrations of acid phosphatases (p < 0.01), α-glucosidase (p < 0.05) and L-carnitine (p < 0.05) were also decreased during the therapy, indicating an alteration of prostatic and epididymal functions. Moreover, we measured at least one altered semen parameter in 35% of the subjects during atorvastatin treatment, and in 65% of the subjects after withdrawal, which led us to consider that atorvastatin is unsafe in the context of our study.

Conclusions

Our results show for the first time that atorvastatin significantly affects the sperm parameters and the seminal fluid composition of healthy men.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02094313.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Evaluation of atorvastatin efficacy and toxicity on spermatozoa, accessory glands and gonadal hormones of healthy men: a pilot prospective clinical trial
Authors
Hanae Pons-Rejraji
Florence Brugnon
Benoit Sion
Salwan Maqdasy
Gerald Gouby
Bruno Pereira
Geoffroy Marceau
Anne-Sophie Gremeau
Joel Drevet
Genevieve Grizard
Laurent Janny
Igor Tauveron
Publication date
01-12-2014
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology / Issue 1/2014
Electronic ISSN: 1477-7827
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7827-12-65

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