Evaluation of Serum α-tocopherol and Anemia among Infertile Patients Attending Specialists Hospital, Sokoto

Abstract

Infertility is the inability of a couple to achieve pregnancy over an average period of one year despite adequate, regular and unprotected sexual intercourse. Avitaminosis E has been implicated in the development of infertility and hemolytic anemia in animals. There is, however, little evidence that man is ever scanty in vitamin E. The aim of this study is to evaluate serum α-tocopherol levels and anemia among infertile patients attending Specialists Hospital, Sokoto. A total of fifty (50) infertile patients and fifty (50) apparently healthy fertile married as control were recruited for this study. The blood samples collected were analyzed for α-tocopherol using Hashim and Schuttringer (1996) method, and PCV using hematocrit reader. The data obtained were analyzed using the Student's T-independence test. The result shows that the level of serum α-tocopherol was significantly lower (p<0.05) in infertile patients (0.65±0.04) compared to controls (1.38±0.02). The result, however, shows no statistically significant difference of PCV and BMI (37.58±0.4 and 21.14±0.34 respectively) in infertile patients when compared to the controls (38.61±0.4 and 22.05±2.64 respectively). A reduced serum α-tocopherol level among infertile patients was observed in this study. The α-tocopherol has been described to be a potent antisterility factor on account of the development of the sterility in its absence. We, therefore, commend the incorporation of α-tocopherol in the diagnosis and treatment of infertility in human.