Beneficial effect of tamoxifen on sperm recovery in infertile men with nonobstructive azoospermia

Abstract

About 10% of infertile men have azoospermia. After the introduction of microinjection [intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)], many of these men obtain the chance to be a father. But still in many cases of nonobstructive azoospermia, we are not able to find spermatozoa for ICSI. Medications may be able to increase the chance of finding spermatozoa in testis samples. So in this study, we evaluated the effect of tamoxifen citrate on the results of sperm recovery from testis tissue in infertile men with nonobstructive azoospermia. Thirty-two azoospermic infertile men with proved nonobstructive azoospermia were selected. Tamoxifen was administered for 3 months. Semen samples and in the cases of azoospermia second testis biopsy were taken, and the results were compared with the first samples. According to first testis samples, 13 patients had hypospermatogenesis, 9 had maturation arrest and 10 patients sertoli cell syndrome. After tamoxifen treatment, six patients showed spermatozoa in their ejaculates. From other patients all in hypospermatogenesis group, 75% in maturation arrest group and 20% in sertoli cell group showed spermatozoa in their second testis samples. Our study showed that treatment of patients with nonobstructive azoospermia with anti-oestrogenic drugs like tamoxifen can improve the results of sperm recovery in testis samples and also increase the chance of pregnancy by microinjection.