Effect of transient scrotal hyperthermia on spermatogenesis
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN22596524 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN22596524 |
| Protocol serial number | N/A |
| Sponsor | Chinese Academy of Sciences (China) |
| Funder | Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China |
- Submission date
- 18/11/2015
- Registration date
- 21/11/2015
- Last edited
- 15/10/2020
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Completed
- Condition category
- Other
Plain English summary of protocol
Background and study aims
The testes of most animals, including humans, are in the scrotum outside the main body cavity and are thus 2–8°C below the core body temperature. Scrotal hyperthermia (elevated temperature) could disrupt sperm production and lead to a decreased sperm count. However, most studies are based on animal models, and we still don’t know the relationship between scrotal heat stress and the degree of damage to sperm production. The mechanism of disruption of sperm production is also unclear. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effect of scrotal hyperthermia on human sperm production and to understand the related mechanism.
Who can participate?
Healthy men aged 22–50 who are married, have fathered at least one child, and do not plan to father another child.
What does the study involve?
Participants are randomly allocated into one of the two groups. All of the participants undergo testicular warming at 43°C in a water bath 10 times, for 30 minutes each time. In brief, the lower half of the body of each participant is soaked in a bathtub in which the water is regulated to be 43°C. For participants in Group 1, this is carried out once a day for 10 consecutive days while for subjects in Group 2, it was once every 3 days, 10 times. The treatment phase is followed by a recovery phase of 16 weeks. Blood samples are collected before and every 3 weeks after the water bath treatment, a total of 6 times. Semen samples are collected twice before the water bath treatment and every 2 weeks after, for a total of 10 times.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
The main benefit for participants in this study is the evaluation of their semen quality and reproductive hormone levels, which are good markers for their health status. The results of this study will improve our understanding of the risks of high scrotal temperature. There are no risks for participants in this study.
Where is the study run from?
Huazhong University of Science and Technology (China)
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
May 2013 to August 2015
Who is funding the study?
Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China
Who is the main contact?
Prof Changhong Zhu
rm3816205@163.com
Contact information
Scientific
No.13, Hangkong Road
Wuhan
430030
China
| Phone | +86 (0)27 8369 2651 |
|---|---|
| rm3816205@163.com |
Study information
| Primary study design | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Study design | Single-center interventional randomised controlled trial |
| Secondary study design | Randomised controlled trial |
| Study type | Participant information sheet |
| Scientific title | Effect of transient scrotal hyperthermia on spermatogenesis |
| Study objectives | Previous studies have shown that cryptorchidism and varicocele can seriously affect spermatogenesis, mainly due to the elevated temperature of the scrotum. However, those studies were mainly retrospective. The heat stress intensity and exposure time lacked accurate quantification, and the relationship between heat exposure frequency and the degree of spermatogenesis damage was not explored. Hypothesis: Transient scrotal hyperthermia could reversibly affect spermatogenesis |
| Ethics approval(s) | Ethics Committee of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 28/11/2012, No. 20130311 |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Spermatogenesis |
| Intervention | Subjects were initially randomized into one of the two groups, each group consisting of 10 volunteers. All of the subjects underwent testicular warming at 43°C in a water bath 10 times, for 30 min each time. In brief, the lower half body of each subject was soaked in the bathtub in which the water was regulated to be 43°C. To maintain the water temperature constant, we continuously added the adjusted hot water (43°C) into the bathtub, and we also drained the water from the bathtub by the same flow rate. For subjects in Group 1, this was carried out once a day for 10 consecutive days while for subjects in Group 2, it was once every 3 days, 10 times. The treatment phase was followed by a recovery phase of 16 weeks. |
| Intervention type | Other |
| Primary outcome measure(s) |
Semen samples were collected twice before treatment and at week 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 after treatment. The samples were obtained from each subject by masturbation after between 3 and 7 days of sexual abstinence. |
| Key secondary outcome measure(s) |
Semen samples were collected twice before treatment and at week 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 after treatment. The samples were obtained from each subject by masturbation after between 3 and 7 days of sexual abstinence. |
| Completion date | 30/08/2015 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Healthy volunteer |
|---|---|
| Age group | Adult |
| Sex | Male |
| Target sample size at registration | 20 |
| Total final enrolment | 20 |
| Key inclusion criteria | 1. Male 2. 22–50 years old 3. Married and having fathered at least one child 4. No plan to father another child 5. Good health without hypertension or trauma |
| Key exclusion criteria | 1. Not married or have no children 2. Plan to have another child 3. Cryptorchidism or varicocele 4. Severe heart, brain or renal disease 5. Could not commit to finishing the experiment |
| Date of first enrolment | 01/05/2013 |
| Date of final enrolment | 20/07/2013 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- China
Study participating centres
Huazhong University of Science and Technology
No.13 Hangkong Road
Wuhan
430030
China
Huazhong University of Science and Technology
No.13, Hangkong Road
Wuhan
430030
China
Results and Publications
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | Yes |
|---|---|
| IPD sharing plan summary | Available on request |
| IPD sharing plan |
Study outputs
| Output type | Details | Date created | Date added | Peer reviewed? | Patient-facing? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results article | results | 01/11/2016 | 15/10/2020 | Yes | No |
| Participant information sheet | Participant information sheet | 11/11/2025 | 11/11/2025 | No | Yes |
Editorial Notes
15/10/2020: Publication reference and total final enrolment number added.
