1Post Graduate, Department of General Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore. Affiliated to Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal
2Associate Professor, Department of OBG, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore. Affiliated to Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal
3Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore. Affiliated to Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal
4Department of Pharmacology, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore. Affiliated to Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal
5Professor, Department of General Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore. Affiliated to Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal
6Department of General Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore. Affiliated to Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal
*Corresponding Author: Dr Muralidhara Yadiyal, Department of General Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Affiliated to Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Email: myadiyal@gmail.com
Online published on 19 August, 2019.
Male infertility is one of the areas of prime interest nowadays. There are various causes for Male infertility. Identifying the correct cause and appropriate treatment can improve fertility rate. One such approach is the association of digit ratio (2D: 4D) with fertility. In this regard there is paucity of literature in Indian setup. The aim of this study was to correlate the association between digit ratio and Sperm count with testosterone levels.
In this Case-control study, 79 primary Infertile males with oligozoospermia and 79 age matched controls were selected and their right hand 2nd and 4th digits were measured using Vernier caliper. 2D: 4D values are calculated and correlated with sperm count and testosterone levels. Statistical analysis was done to find the significance.
Male Infertility peaks at the age group of 31–40 years. The 2D: 4D values are increased in infertile males and it increases with decreasing sperm count and decreasing Testosterone levels and they were found to be statistically significant and shows negative correlation.
The 2D: 4D values negatively correlates with sperm count and testosterone levels. This implies that digit ratio can serve as an indicator of testosterone level and sperm count thereby male fertility. It is a promising diagnostic or predictive marker of male infertility.
2d4d, Male infertility, Hox genes, Sperm count
