Standardization and quality control for the determination of uric acid level in seminal plasma

Abstract

Background: The determination of seminal uric acid (UA), an important antioxidative material, could be helpful in the diagnosis of male infertility. Methods: The oxidase method used to detect serum UA was modified for seminal UA assay. Uric acid levels in 2 frozen seminal plasma samples and seminal plasma with or without chymotrypsin treatment were determined. The UA level and sperm concentration of each of 53 samples of seminal plasma obtained by centrifugation at a different velocity was assayed. Results: There was no significant difference in UA levels (P=0.568) and sperm concentrations (P=0.000) in seminal plasma obtained by centrifugation at different velocities. Both chymotrypsin treatment and freezing-thawing had no apparent effect on the determination of UA in seminal plasma. Conclusion: Centrifugation velocity should be standardized, and frozen seminal plasma could serve as the quality control product for the determination of UA levels among different laboratories.