Does Clomiphene citrate administration increase the success rate of microdissection testicular sperm extraction in non-obstructive azoospermic men? A cross-sectional study

 Clomiphene citrate (CC) has been suggested to increase the chance of sperm retrieval with microdissection testicular sperm extraction (micro-TESE).

 This study aimed to evaluate the effect of CC on micro-TESE results, due to the great controversy in this regard.

 112 participants were included in this cross-sectional study and were divided into a case (n = 54) and a control group (n = 58) diagnosed with non-abstractive azoospermia. The case group received 25 mg of CC daily for 3 months, while the control group did not receive anything. All participants underwent micro-TESE by an andrologist, and at the end, the results were compared between groups. Hormone tests, including follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, testosterone, and prolactin were analyzed.

 The mean age of participants was the same in the case and the control groups, and no significant relationship was observed between the 2 groups (p = 0.16). 25.9% of sperm and 31.0% of sperm were observed and extracted in the CC-treated and the control group, respectively.

 Our findings showed that after receiving CC, the number of sperm extraction did not increase but it rather decreased. However, the initial level of hormones such as testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and prolactin, and the men's age, testicle size, smoking, and opium addiction, underlying diseases had no significant relationship in the 2 groups and did not affect the results.