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Endocrine Abstracts (2019) 63 P298 | DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.63.P298

ECE2019 Poster Presentations Reproductive Endocrinology 1 (40 abstracts)

Inhibin-B and FSH are the best predictors of spermatogenesis

Katarzyna Jankowska


Bielanski Hospital, Warsaw, Poland.


Objective: Sperm cells are produced in the testes by the Sertoli cells. These cells produce Inhibin B too and they are stimulated by FSH. Can Inhibin B be a good marker of spermatogenesis? Should we use other marker (FSH?, testosterone?)

Design: Prospective study.

Patients: We examined 56 patients with infertility.

Methods: Semen analysis and hormonal analysis was performed. Semen analysis was performed according to World Health Organization guidelines (WHO 2010). Hormone analysis include: FSH (follicle stimulating hormone), LH (luteinizing hormone), testosterone, prolactin, TSH and inhibin B. We analysed the dependencies between semen parameters and hormons, especially inhibin B.

Results: The sperm count was significantly and positively correlated with Inhibin B (r=0.4, P<0.0001). The Inhibin B was negatively correlated with FSH (r=−0.6, P<0.0001). The lower was the concentration of inhibin B, the lower was the number of sperm in the semen. There was also a relationship between seminogram and FSH - the higher was the FSH, the lower was the number of sperm. There was no relationship between the number of sperm and the concentration of LH, testosterone, TSH, prolactin.

Conclusions: It seems that we can use the value of inhibin B and FSH to assess the intensity of spermatogenesis. The decreased concentration of inhibin B correlates with the number of sperm (the lower the concentration of inhibin B the lower the efficiency of spermatogenesis) and with FSH (the higher FSH, the lower the sperm count). High levels of FSH and reduced levels of inhibin B clearly indicate impairment of spermatogenic function in addition to the testes. The concentration of testosterone is not good predictor of spermatogenesis. (Inhibin B and testosterone are produced from different types of cells in the testis). FSH and inhibin-B can be used if the doctor wants to assess spermatogenesis and the patient does not want to perform sperm analysis (in young boys, for example).

Volume 63

21st European Congress of Endocrinology

Lyon, France
18 May 2019 - 21 May 2019

European Society of Endocrinology 

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