Spermaturia and Puberty Arch Dis Child: First Published As 10.1136/Adc.69.3.384 on 1 September 1993
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384 Archives of Disease in Childhood 1993; 69: 384-387 Spermaturia and puberty Arch Dis Child: first published as 10.1136/adc.69.3.384 on 1 September 1993. Downloaded from Juri L Pedersen, Karsten Nysom, Merete J0rgensen, Claus T Nielsen, J0rn MuAller, Niels Keiding, Niels E Skakkeblek Abstract particularly a problem in cross sectional The pattern of spermaturia in boys at studies. In a longitudinal study we have different stages of puberty was investi- previously made corrections of the time of first gated. Fractionated 24 hour urine was observed spermaturia to estimate the time of collected for nine consecutive days from spermarche, calculated to be some months eight boys aged 13-14 years and 10 boys earlier than the first observed spermaturia.' A aged 15-17 years. Spermatozoa were similar correction has not previously been detected by microscopic examination of possible in cross sectional studies. the sediment. Sex characteristics were The objectives of the present study were (i) recorded. Fifty five per cent of all urine to describe the pattern of spermaturia in early samples were positive for sperm and and late stages of puberty and (ii) to determine all boys showed spermaturia. A large the occurrence of false negative samples and variation in spermaturia was found their relation to age and sex characteristics, between and within boys at the same stage thus simplifying the estimation of the age of of puberty. Spermaturia was a more spermarche in future cross sectional studies. common and regular event during early and mid-puberty than in more mature subjects. This indicates that the mech- Subjects and methods anism of spermaturia in early and late SUBJECTS puberty could be different. It is suggested All boys from four classes of seventh grade (age that spermaturia in non-virilised boys 13-14 years) and five classes of ninth or tenth could be a result of a spontaneous, con- grade (age 15-17 years) of two municipal tinuous flow of spermatozoa to the schools in Copenhagen were asked to urethra in contrast with the peristaltic participate. Of 85 boys asked, 19 agreed to flow during ejaculation occurring at a deliver urine samples. The following criteria of later stage ofpuberty. exclusion were applied: (a) acute diseases (Arch Dis Child 1993; 69: 384-387) within the last two weeks before and during the observation period; (b) chronic disease; (c) previous orchitis; (d) varicocele; (e) enuresis; Spermarche has been defined as the first and (f) any testis <4 ml. Only one boy was http://adc.bmj.com/ spermaturia,l1 and this event has been con- excluded, because of a testicular size less than sidered an important milestone in male 4 ml. Urine was thus collected from 18 healthy puberty. A few longitudinal studiesl 5 6 as well normal boys. as cross sectional studies24 have estimated the median age of spermarche to be 13-14 years. Sperm can be detected in the urine of boys METHODS after the spermarche.7 Sperm negative urine All boys were examined by the same investi- on October 1, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. samples occur after the achievement of gator. Genital and pubic hair stage were spermarche, however, and this phenomenon classified according to Tanner.'1 Testicular has been considered a 'false negative' observa- volume was assessed with the orchidometer of tion. Prader.12 Axillary hair stage was recorded. For Department of Growth Previous studies have described a few cases nine consecutive days each boy collected and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, of spermaturia in boys at an immature stage of fractionated 24 hour urine: the day sample was University of puberty, including examples of completely collected from 8 am to 8 pm and the night Copenhagen, Denmark non-virilised boys with no signs of puberty.6 7 sample from 8 pm to 8 am, including the first J L Pedersen K Nysom The mechanism of spermaturia in these boys is morning void. Plastic containers (2-5 1) C T Nielsen enigmatic, because studies have shown that containing 500 mg ampicillin in 5 ml water J Muller spermaturia from adults is the consequence of were provided for urine collection. The N E Skakkebxk urethral washing after ejaculations,8 and the samples were thoroughly mixed and 200 ml Statistical Research only two known studies of the onset of ejacula- analysed. A method for detecting spermatozoa Unit, Faculty of Health tions in puberty showed that boys were gener- in urine has been reported by Baldwin7 and Science, University of in middle or late before modified by Richardson and Short.6 With Copenhagen ally puberty they M Jorgensen experienced their first ejaculations.9 10 These minor changes this method was applied in our N Keiding observations seem to indicate that there is a study. In brief, the principle was two from the volume and Correspondence to: shift in the mechanism of spermaturia centrifugations, reducing Dr Niels E Skakkebeek, early to late puberty. All previous studies of concentrating the precipitate, which was Department of Growth and Reproduction, spermarche have been hampered by the examined by microscopy. Thirty high power Rigshospitalet, common occurrence of false negative samples. fields (X400) were examined by phase contrast 9 Blegdamsvej, 2100 Copenhagen 0, Consequently, the finding of a sperm negative microscopy in each of two drops of precipitate. Denmark. sample does not necessarily mean that Forty high power fields (x250) were examined Accepted 28 May 1993 spermarche has not been achieved. This is by light microscopy in each of two Spermaturia and puberty 385 Papanicolaou stained smears. If spermatozoa for independence within this model was were seen, the urine sample was considered to performed by calculating the exact p value for Arch Dis Child: first published as 10.1136/adc.69.3.384 on 1 September 1993. Downloaded from be positive. The sensitivity of the method has each boy separately. not been evaluated. Tests for the difference in occurrence of spermaturia between night and day and between individual boys as well as tests for the ETHICS interaction between boys and night/day were All boys and their parents gave informed performed separately for each of the age consent for participation in the study. The groups 13-14 and 15-17 years using standard procedures followed were in accordance with logistic regression. the revised Helsinki Declaration of 1983. The Tests for relating the individual differences study was accepted by the local ethical in the occurrence of spermaturia to age and committee. primary and secondary sex characteristics were performed using standard logistic regression. STATISTICS Analysis ofthe dependence between the results Results of successive observations from each boy was All boys showed spermaturia at least once performed using a runs test.'3 This test is during the period of the study. Table 1 gives based on a Markov model assumption of order the basic characteristics of the boys and table 2 1, specifying that the occurrence of a sperm gives the pattern of spermaturia. For three positive sample depends on the occurrence of boys one urine sample each was missing; two spermatozoa in the previous sample. The test day samples and one night sample. On one occasion the day and night samples were mixed Table 1 Basic characteristics ofthe boys and showed spermaturia. A total of 174 of 319 (55%) urine samples Boy Age Mean testis Genital Pubic hair Axillary showed spermaturia - that is, 45% of the urine No (years)* volume (ml)t staget staget hair stageS samples were false negative. For the boys aged 13-50 11-00 3-0 3-5 2-0 13-14 36% of 2 14-00 15-00 3 0 3 0 1.0 years the urine samples were 3 13-50 9 00 2-0 1-5 1-0 false negative and for the boys aged 15-17 4 14-25 13-50 4 0 40 1-0 years 53% of the urine were 5 13-25 8-00 2-0 1-0 1-0 samples false 6 13-75 17-50 4-0 4-0 2-0 negative. The frequency of false negative 7 13-25 11-00 3 0 3-0 2-0 in 8 14-00 8-00 2-5 2-5 2-0 samples the individual boys varied from 0 to 9 16-00 20-00 5 0 5 0 2-5 94%, with the boys in the group aged 15-17 10 15-25 16-25 5-0 5-0 3 0 years showing the 11 15-50 25-00 5 0 5 0 3-0 greatest variation. Assuming 12 16-00 25-00 5*0 5 0 3 0 that at least one positive 12 hour urine sample 13 15-75 18-75 4-5 4-5 2-0 yields a 24 hour 14 16-00 15-00 4-5 4-5 3 0 positive urine sample, 27% of 15 17-25 25-00 5 0 5 0 3 0 the 24 hour urine samples would be false 16 16-75 20-00 4-5 4-5 3 0 negative (table 2). For the http://adc.bmj.com/ 17 16-25 20-00 4-0 4-0 2-0 boys aged 13-14 18 16-25 15-00 4-5 40 2-0 years 15% would be false negative, and for the boys aged 15-17 years 36% would be false * Age: grouped in three month intervals. t Mean testicular volume: right plus left testicular volumes negative. divided by two. There were no signs of dependence between t Genital stage and pubic hair stage: according to Tanner."l Evaluation 4-5 is written as 4-5. the results of successive observations for any of S Axillary hair stage: 1, no hair; 2, hair but non-adult; 3, adult the 18 boys - that is, no difference between the type.