Possibilities of association of azoospermia and oligospermia with some HLA system antigens

: Modern knowledge of the HLA system structure and its role in the organism supports the statement that the presence of HLA antigens in a person increases his/her predisposition to some diseases. Association of HLA antigens with some diseases has already been confirmed by many authors. This study was an attempt to obtain insight into the possibilities of the association of HLA antigens with azoospermia and oligospermia of an unknown aetiology. HLA groups were allocated to 71 men with azoospermia and oligospermia. The condition of disordered spermiogenesis was confirmed on the basis of anamnestic data, objective genital examination and spermiogram, by which secondary causes were excluded and unknown aetiology was confirmed. To standardize HLA antigens the authors used 14 sera for locus A antigens and 26 sera for locus B antigens. The results obtained were compared with findings obtained from 670 healthy persons (controls). These results showed higher frequency of the following antigens in these persons: A26 in 15.4% of cases with r.r. 9.2, P less than 0.001 and chi 2 = 37.74 (control group = 1.9%), A28 in 23.9% of cases with r.r. 2.8, P less than 0.005 and chi 2 = 8.23 (control group = 10%) and B18 in 18.3% of cases with r.r. 2.5, P less than 0.005 and chi 2 = 8.23 (control group = 8%).