Metabolic syndrome and smoking are independent risk factors of male idiopathic infertility

BACKGROUND: Overweight and obesity are known to impact male fertility and are commonly associated with abdominal obesity and metabolic disorders. The association between abdominal obesity or metabolic syndrome with male reproduction has not been fully investigated. Moreover, many factors may interfere with the evaluation of the impact of metabolic syndrome on male fertility. Thus, tobacco is known to alter the spermatic parameters and phenomena linking smoking with metabolic syndrome are therefore complex. The main objective of this study has been to investigate the potential association of metabolic syndrome with male idiopathic infertility given smoking status. MATERIEL AND METHODS: The data of this study concerned infertile (n = 96) and fertile (n = 100) men under 45 years of age who have been recruited in the ALIFERT case-control study. Body mass index and waist circumference were measured. Serum triglycerides, cholesterol (total, high density lipoprotein, and low density lipoprotein cholesterol) and fasting blood glucose were assayed. Metabolic syndrome has been diagnosed in the presence of at least three of the following criteria: increased waist circumference, high triglycerides, fasting glucose or arterial blood pressure and low high density lipoprotein cholesterol. RESULTS: The present study reports that infertile men are in poorer health condition compared to fertile men and are more often smokers. The results of this study suggested metabolic syndrome and smoking to be independent risk factor for idiopathic infertility. CONCLUSIONS: Metabolic syndrome and smoking should systematically be checked at the beginning of medical care in infertile males and personal and multifaceted coaching should be proposed to deal jointly with smoking and metabolic disorders. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT01093378 ALIFERT. Registered: March 25, 2010.