Relationship between the direct mixed antiglobulin reaction (MAR) test and spontaneous sperm agglutination in men from infertile couples

To determine the relationship between the direct MAR test and spontaneous sperm agglutination in men from infertile couples, semen samples from 160 men were studied. Spontaneous sperm agglutination was present in 80 samples, and absent in the others. Routine semen analysis and the direct MAR test were performed on all samples. The incidence of positive MAR tests in samples with and without spontaneous sperm agglutination were 15 and 0 per cent respectively (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in mean sperm concentration, motility, and morphology between the samples with and without spontaneous sperm agglutination, and between the positive and negative MAR test groups. It can be concluded that spontaneous sperm agglutination relates significantly to antisperm antibodies detected by the direct MAR test, and this factor could be used as indication for antisperm antibody testing of infertile men.