Mostafa T, El-Taweel AELI, Rashed LA, et al. - Cystatin C (Cys C) has a potential role in varicocele-induced infertility.

• Cys C has been associated with various cellular alterations that are common in male infertility cases linked with varicocele such as apoptosis and autophagy.

• Preliminary analysis of 60 men who were categorized as infertile oligoasthenoteratozoospermic (OAT) men with varicocele who had varicocelectomy and healthy fertile men (control group).

• Seminal Cys C was evaluated pre and 6 months post-varicocelectomy.

• Seminal Cys C was significantly elevated in infertile OAT men with varicocele vs the fertile control (55.57 ± 25.6 ng/ml vs 10.78 ± 1.88 ng/ml).

• Significant reduction in seminal Cys C was evident postoperatively vs its preoperative level (34.69 ± 14.02 vs 55.57 ± 25.6 ng/ml).