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Is there anything to claims of atherosclerosis, dementia or other extraurologic (immune-mediated?) consequences of vasectomy? The below articles are just a sample of the scant, unimpressive literature on vasectomy. Is there anything to such propositions?
Does vasectomy increase the risk of atherosclerosis?
Authors
Clarkson TB,et al. Show allClarkson TB, Alexander NJ.
Journal
J Cardiovasc Med. 1980 Nov 15;5(11):999-1002.
Affiliation
Abstract
PIP: The work that stimulated a series of experiments, conducted to determine the relationship between vasectomy and atherosclerosis in nonhuman primates, is summarized along with results in 2 nonhuman primate species. Attention is directed to the following: immunologic injury and atherosclerosis; immunologic responses to vasectomy; effects of atherogenic diet and vasectomy; and the effects of vasectomy alone. Using rabbits as the animal model, early workers found that inducing both immunologic serum sickness and hyperlipoproteinemia caused more extensive atherosclerosis than did hyperlipoproteinemia alone and that the resulting lesions more closely resembled those of human beings in both morphologic characteristics and anatomic location. The mechanism by which immunologic injury exacerbates atherosclerosis still remains unclear, but studies focusing on injury to the vascular endothelium as an important mechanism in atherogenesis are currently of considerable interest. Sperm agglutination, sperm immobilization, and immunofluorescence have all been used to demonstrate circulating free antisperm antibodies after vasectomy. Such antibodies occur in about 50% of vasectomized men and in vasectomized males of several animal species. It is unclear why circulating free antisperm antibodies have not been found in all vasectomized men and male animals. The development of an antibody response to sperm antigen in vasectomized rhesus monkeys has been shown to correlate with high sperm counts before vasectomy and similar observations have been made in studies of men. Results in nonhuman primate species showed that vasectomized monkeys developed more extensive and severe atherosclerosis than did nonvasectomized monkeys of the same age and dietary history. In 2 species of monkeys, the effect of vasectomy on atherogenesis seemed to be present whether the animals were hyperlipoproteinemic or had plasma lipid concentrations in the normal range. The presumed mechanism of atherosclerosis exacerbation is persistent antibody production after vasectomy in response to sperm antigens. The continuing leakage of soluble sperm antigens favors antigenemia and the development of circulating immune complexes, which in turn damage the vascular endothelium. The exact mechanism remains unclear. The accumulated data to show that vasectomy is a risk factor for atherosclerosis in 2 species of nonhuman primates.
_____________________________________________________________________
Vasectomy: "the most unkindest cut of all"?
Authors
Soderdahl DW.
Journal
Surg Gynecol Obstet. 1982 Nov;155(5):734-6.
Affiliation
Abstract
PIP: Attention in this discussion is directed to an increasingly disputable method of sterilization, i.e., vasectomy, and more particularly to its possible causal relationship to atherosclerosis. Despite the fact that vasectomy is now in vogue worldwide and that healthy young men are undergoing a procedure of possible serious longterm morbidity, no conclusive studies are available concerning the subject. Suggestive results of laboratory studies and reasoned opinions are available for consideration. Results of recent studies performed on primates that demonstrate an apparent association between vasectomy and atherosclerosis have resulted in considerable alarm. Sir Ashley Cooper who first performed vasectomy in 1823 upon dogs observed that vasectomy does not stop spermatogenesis. This fact assumes critical importance in a review of chronic immunologic response to vasectomy, of which atherosclerosis may be a notable illustration. To test the hypothesis that chronic release of foreign antigen into the circulation following vasectomy results in accelerated and increased atherosclerosis, Alexander and Clarkson studied 10 cynomolgus monkeys, all fed an atherogenic diet, 1/2 vasectomized and 1/2 sham operated and all sacrificed 10 months postoperatively. These investigators found a significant increase in raised atherosclerotic plaques in the cerebral, carotid, coronary, abdominal, iliac, and femoral arteries. More recently these same investigators showed that 10 rhesus monkeys vasectomized 9-14 years previously and fed monkey chow, which has no cholesterol and is low in fat, also exhibited more extensive atherosclerosis than did age-matched control monkeys. Those monkeys lacking circulating antisperm antibodies had more extensive atherosclerosis than did those with high antibody titers. It is postulated that high levels of both antigen and antibody are present in immune complexes, which are atherogenic. The question of whether vasectomy may have similar consequences in man remains moot, for examination of the implications of this primate research for human populations is just beginning. Fahrenbach and associates reported significant increase in retinal arteriolar constriction in nonhypertensive vasectomized men as compared with matched controls. A large study conducted by Walker et al. found no difference in the incidence of heart attacks between 4830 vasectomized men and 24,420 controls. At this time no concrete data exist to cause panic. An urgent need exists for more information concerning the possible detrimental systemic effects of vasectomy in men
Does vasectomy increase the risk of atherosclerosis?
Authors
Clarkson TB,et al. Show allClarkson TB, Alexander NJ.
Journal
J Cardiovasc Med. 1980 Nov 15;5(11):999-1002.
Affiliation
Abstract
PIP: The work that stimulated a series of experiments, conducted to determine the relationship between vasectomy and atherosclerosis in nonhuman primates, is summarized along with results in 2 nonhuman primate species. Attention is directed to the following: immunologic injury and atherosclerosis; immunologic responses to vasectomy; effects of atherogenic diet and vasectomy; and the effects of vasectomy alone. Using rabbits as the animal model, early workers found that inducing both immunologic serum sickness and hyperlipoproteinemia caused more extensive atherosclerosis than did hyperlipoproteinemia alone and that the resulting lesions more closely resembled those of human beings in both morphologic characteristics and anatomic location. The mechanism by which immunologic injury exacerbates atherosclerosis still remains unclear, but studies focusing on injury to the vascular endothelium as an important mechanism in atherogenesis are currently of considerable interest. Sperm agglutination, sperm immobilization, and immunofluorescence have all been used to demonstrate circulating free antisperm antibodies after vasectomy. Such antibodies occur in about 50% of vasectomized men and in vasectomized males of several animal species. It is unclear why circulating free antisperm antibodies have not been found in all vasectomized men and male animals. The development of an antibody response to sperm antigen in vasectomized rhesus monkeys has been shown to correlate with high sperm counts before vasectomy and similar observations have been made in studies of men. Results in nonhuman primate species showed that vasectomized monkeys developed more extensive and severe atherosclerosis than did nonvasectomized monkeys of the same age and dietary history. In 2 species of monkeys, the effect of vasectomy on atherogenesis seemed to be present whether the animals were hyperlipoproteinemic or had plasma lipid concentrations in the normal range. The presumed mechanism of atherosclerosis exacerbation is persistent antibody production after vasectomy in response to sperm antigens. The continuing leakage of soluble sperm antigens favors antigenemia and the development of circulating immune complexes, which in turn damage the vascular endothelium. The exact mechanism remains unclear. The accumulated data to show that vasectomy is a risk factor for atherosclerosis in 2 species of nonhuman primates.
_____________________________________________________________________
Vasectomy: "the most unkindest cut of all"?
Authors
Soderdahl DW.
Journal
Surg Gynecol Obstet. 1982 Nov;155(5):734-6.
Affiliation
Abstract
PIP: Attention in this discussion is directed to an increasingly disputable method of sterilization, i.e., vasectomy, and more particularly to its possible causal relationship to atherosclerosis. Despite the fact that vasectomy is now in vogue worldwide and that healthy young men are undergoing a procedure of possible serious longterm morbidity, no conclusive studies are available concerning the subject. Suggestive results of laboratory studies and reasoned opinions are available for consideration. Results of recent studies performed on primates that demonstrate an apparent association between vasectomy and atherosclerosis have resulted in considerable alarm. Sir Ashley Cooper who first performed vasectomy in 1823 upon dogs observed that vasectomy does not stop spermatogenesis. This fact assumes critical importance in a review of chronic immunologic response to vasectomy, of which atherosclerosis may be a notable illustration. To test the hypothesis that chronic release of foreign antigen into the circulation following vasectomy results in accelerated and increased atherosclerosis, Alexander and Clarkson studied 10 cynomolgus monkeys, all fed an atherogenic diet, 1/2 vasectomized and 1/2 sham operated and all sacrificed 10 months postoperatively. These investigators found a significant increase in raised atherosclerotic plaques in the cerebral, carotid, coronary, abdominal, iliac, and femoral arteries. More recently these same investigators showed that 10 rhesus monkeys vasectomized 9-14 years previously and fed monkey chow, which has no cholesterol and is low in fat, also exhibited more extensive atherosclerosis than did age-matched control monkeys. Those monkeys lacking circulating antisperm antibodies had more extensive atherosclerosis than did those with high antibody titers. It is postulated that high levels of both antigen and antibody are present in immune complexes, which are atherogenic. The question of whether vasectomy may have similar consequences in man remains moot, for examination of the implications of this primate research for human populations is just beginning. Fahrenbach and associates reported significant increase in retinal arteriolar constriction in nonhypertensive vasectomized men as compared with matched controls. A large study conducted by Walker et al. found no difference in the incidence of heart attacks between 4830 vasectomized men and 24,420 controls. At this time no concrete data exist to cause panic. An urgent need exists for more information concerning the possible detrimental systemic effects of vasectomy in men
