Table 4 also demonstrates the effect of the use of HAART on seminal parameters, with a significant drop being found in total sperm count (172.2 vs. 147.5 million; P=0.05), progressive motility (48.8 vs. 44.4%; P=0.01), post-preparation concentration (15.1 vs. 12.7 million; P=0.006) and post-preparation TMCI (7.1 vs. 6.1 million; P=0.002)

and a significant increase in the percentage of abnormal sperm (76.7 vs. 74.5%; P=0.01) in samples from men on HAART. This effect of HAART on semen parameters was supported by the negative correlation demonstrated in Table 3 between duration p38 MAPK activation of use and concentration (r=−0.16, P=0.02), total count (r=−0.12, P=0.09) and post-preparation progressive motility (r=−0.19, P=0.01). Paradoxically, there was a positive correlation (r=0.17, P=0.02) between duration of use and pre-preparation progressive motility. Similarly, there was a negative correlation between duration of HIV disease and concentration (r=−0.14, P=0.01) and post-preparation progressive motility (r=−0.15, P=0.02) and a paradoxical positive correlation with

selleck chemicals pre-preparation progressive motility (r=0.12, P=0.05). A decade as the UK tertiary referral centre for the infertility care of HIV-positive men allows us to present data demonstrating a negative effect of falling CD4 cell count and the use of HAART on semen parameters; this is the only study to demonstrate such effects on post-wash sperm available for treatment. The first study to present data on sperm characteristics in HIV-positive men found no difference in any parameter between their small (n=24) cohort and a control group of HIV-negative men providing semen for general fertility investigation [11]. However, more recently, four larger studies have demonstrated Osimertinib cell line a consistent significant impairment in semen parameters compared with control groups. In one study of 250 men [15], significantly lower ejaculate volume, sperm concentration and sperm motility were

demonstrated compared with a small control group of ‘fertile’ HIV-negative men. In a clinically homogeneous group of 189 HIV-positive men free of AIDS symptoms and who were therefore well enough to be considered for fertility treatment, a significant decrease in ejaculate volume and total sperm count and a detrimental shift in motility from type ‘a’ to type ‘b’ was demonstrated compared with healthy partners of women undergoing IVF for tubal subfertility [14]. Compared with a similar control group, and thus avoiding any bias from the use of sperm from men of proven fertility, we previously reported significant declines in ejaculate volume, sperm concentration, total sperm count, progressive sperm motility and sperm morphology in 104 HIV-positive men [18]. Most recently, semen volume, total sperm count, sperm motility and sperm morphology were found to be impaired in 190 HIV-positive men compared with fertile controls [26].