Jakość nasienia u mężczyzn z epilepsją otrzymujących leki przeciwpadaczkowe: badanie przypadkowo-kontrolne
Semen quality in men with epilepsy receiving anti-seizure medications: a case-control study
W skrócie
[Preprint - wstępne wyniki] Badanie wykazało, że mężczyźni z epilepsją mają gorszą jakość nasienia - szczególnie niższą ruchliwość i żywotność plemników - w porównaniu ze zdrowymi mężczyznami, chociaż liczba plemników pozostaje podobna. Spermatozoid mężczyzn z epilepsją poruszają się wolniej i gorzej przeżywają, co może wpływać na płodność, zwłaszcza u pacjentów otrzymujących lek walproinian. Konieczne są dalsze badania, aby potwierdzić, że leki przeciwpadaczkowe rzeczywiście wpływają na jakość nasienia.
Oryginalny abstract (angielski)
Abstract Background Epilepsy and anti-seizure medications (ASMs) may adversely affect male fertility, although the extent of this impact remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate semen quality in men with epilepsy and to explore the potential effects of commonly used ASMs, particularly valproate and levetiracetam. This single-centre case–control study was conducted at a tertiary referral centre involving 16 men with a confirmed diagnosis of epilepsy who had been receiving ASM therapy for at least six months and 16 age-matched healthy controls. Demographic and epilepsy-related clinical data were collected following informed consent. Semen samples were obtained at the Advanced Reproductive Centre and analyzed according to standard laboratory guidelines. Results Men with epilepsy demonstrated significantly lower sperm viability (56.6% vs 74.0%; p = 0.015), total motility (56.6% vs 71.3%; p = 0.031), and progressive motility (42.8% vs 55.4%; p = 0.025) compared with healthy controls. No significant differences were observed in sperm count or morphology between these two groups. Subgroup analyses did not demonstrate statistically significant differences between ASM groups, although patients receiving valproate tended to exhibit poorer semen quality. Conclusion Men with epilepsy appear to have impaired sperm function, particularly in terms of motility and viability, while sperm production may remain relatively preserved. These findings suggest that epilepsy treated with ASMs may negatively affect semen quality. Further prospective multi-centre studies are recommended to confirm these associations.