Andrology. Intra- and inter-individual variability in human sperm concentration, motility and vitality assessment during a workshop involving ten laboratories

Author： Auger J.

Publisher： Oxford University Press

ISSN： 1460-2350

Source： Human Reproduction, Vol.15, Iss.11, 2000-11, pp. : 2360-2368

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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to assess variability in the evaluation of human sperm concentration, motility and vitality. Technicians and biologists from 10 teams involved in multicentre studies on semen quality attended the same laboratory, each team using its own methods and equipment to analyse the same semen samples. Inter-individual variability was assessed from 17 fresh semen samples of varying quality. Intra-individual variability was assessed from pools of frozen samples for sperm concentration and motility and stained smears for vitality with three blind evaluations by sample and smear. The mean inter-individual coefficients of variation were 22.9, 21.8 and 17.5% for sperm concentration, motility and vitality respectively. There was no statistical difference among participants for sperm concentration assessment, but significant differences for both motility and vitality (both P < 0.05).="" the="" mean="" intra-individual="" coefficients="" of="" variation="" were="" 15.8,="" 26.2="" and="" 13.1%="" for="" sperm="" concentration,="" motility="" and="" vitality="" respectively,="" with="" marked="" differences="" between="" expert="" and="" novice="" participants:="" concentration="" 9.8%="" versus="" 28.0%;="" motility="" 22.8%="" versus="" 33.0%;="" and="" vitality="" 10.0%="" versus="" 19.3%.="" the="" present="" data="" confirm="" the="" need="" for="" external="" quality="" control="" schemes="" for="" diagnostic="" purposes,="" and="" indicate="" their="" utmost="" importance="" in="" multicentre="" studies="" on="" semen="" quality.="">