2Department of Urology, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Türkiye
Abstract
Nasal mucociliary clearance (NMC) is a vital defense mechanism. Given the structural similarities between respiratory cilia and sperm flagella, this study evaluated NMC duration in patients with asthenozoospermia. This prospective study included 10 patients with isolated asthenozoospermia and 10 healthy controls. Individuals with a history of smoking, allergic rhinitis, nasal polyps, or use of medications affecting NMC were excluded. NMC was measured using the saccharin test. The mean age was 34.6±4.4 years in the patient group and 29.6±3.7 years in the control group. The mean NMC duration was longer in the asthenozoospermia group than in the control group (12.7 vs. 7.2 min); however, the difference did not reach statistical significance (p=0.08). Although a longer mean NMC duration was observed in the asthenozoospermia group, the difference was not statistically significant, and clearance times remained within normal physiological limits. These preliminary findings suggest that isolated asthenozoospermia is not routinely accompanied by overt or subclinical nasal mucociliary dysfunction.
