The association between dietary inflammatory index and C-reactive protein in plasma and semen with semen quality: A cross-sectional study

Background: Infertility affects couples worldwide, with male factors being responsible for half of all cases. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between dietary inflammatory index (DII) and levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in plasma and semen with the quality of semen in infertile males. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, ۸۸ infertile men referring to Besat hospital, Tehran, Iran from December ۲۰۲۱-November ۲۰۲۲ were enrolled. A detailed questionnaire requesting information, and a ۱۶۸-item semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire, were completed by participants. A food frequency questionnaire was used to calculate the DII. Additionally, semen and blood samples were collected from each participant for semen analysis and CRP-level assessment. Statistical analyses were performed to explore the association between DII and CRP levels with sperm quality. The correlation between DII and serum/semen CRP, besides assessing nutrients in each DII quartile group, was also explored. Results: A significant difference was observed between different DII quartiles considering sperm motility (p = ۰.۰۰۶) and morphology (p = ۰.۰۱۴). Post hoc study revealed a significant difference between the ۱st and ۲nd quartiles and the ۱st and ۴th quartiles of DII regarding sperm motility (p = ۰.۰۱۱, and ۰.۰۱۷ respectively) and a significant difference between the ۱st and ۲nd quartiles of DII considering sperm morphology (p = ۰.۰۰۹). A statistically significant inverse correlation was also observed between DII and sperm motility (p = ۰.۰۱۷). Carbohydrates and β-carotenes were significantly different between the ۴ DII quartiles (p = ۰.۰۴۳ and p = ۰.۰۲۶, respectively). Finally, no significant correlation was observed between DII and CRP levels in blood and semen (p > ۰.۰۵). Conclusion: The findings suggested a notable correlation between DII and semen quality; however, no significant association were observed between DII and CRP levels in blood and semen.

Keywords:

Infertility , C-reactive protein , CRP , Inflammation , Sperm. , ناباروری , پروتئین واکنشی C , CRP , التهاب , اسپرم.