Second to fourth digit ratios, male genital development and reproductive health: a clinical study among fertile men and testis cancer patients
Second to fourth digit ratios, male genital development and reproductive health: a clinical study among fertile men and testis cancer patients
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DOI：
10.1111/j.1365-2605.2010.01124.x
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发表时间：
2011-08-01
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
Eustache, F.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Auger, J.;Eustache, F.
二位数到四位数的长度比率，2D：4D，是胎儿时期睾酮水平的一个标志，在一些研究中发现与精子密度或睾酮水平有关，但在另一些研究中则没有，这种差异可能与该比率的评估方式有关。在这项研究中，使用一种基于直接测量手指长度的新方法，在122名孕妇的男性伴侣和71名睾丸癌患者中评估了2D：4D。此外，我们还研究了2D：4D、出生体重、睾丸体积、精液质量和怀孕时间之间的关系。对该方法的验证研究表明，该方法具有较高的可靠性和重复性。数字长度和2D：4D在两组男性中都没有显著差异。我们发现在睾丸癌患者中2D：4D与出生体重呈显著负相关。在有生育能力的男性中，2D：4D与睾丸体积(r=-0.36，p<；0.001)、精子总数(r=-0.18，p=0.04)和怀孕时间(r=0.24，p<；0.02)相关。此外，有附睾囊肿史的参与者的2D：4D显著高于无囊肿者。综上所述，所有有意义的发现表明，人类男性生殖功能与2D：4D呈负相关。然而，睾丸癌患者的2D：4D并不表明胎儿时期的激素失衡是发生生殖细胞癌的常见原因。由于一种简单、直接和可靠的测量手指长度的方法，获得的这些结果表明，这种新工具在生育研究以及对患有生殖道发育障碍的男性的研究中是有用的。
Second- to fourth-digit length ratio, 2D : 4D, is a marker of testosterone level during foetal life that was found associated with sperm concentration or testosterone levels in some studies, but not in others, a difference possibly related to the way the ratio is assessed. In this study, 2D : 4D was assessed in 122 men partners of pregnant women and in 71 testicular cancer patients using a new method based on direct measurements of finger lengths. In addition, we investigated the association between 2D : 4D, birth weight, testicular volume, semen quality and time to pregnancy. A validation study of the method demonstrated high reliability and reproducibility. Neither digit lengths nor 2D : 4D significantly differed in both groups of men. We found a significant negative association between 2D : 4D and birth weight in testicular cancer patients. In fertile men, 2D : 4D was associated with testicular volume (r = -0.36, p < 0.001), total sperm number (r = -0.18, p = 0.04) and time to pregnancy (r = 0.24, p < 0.02). In addition, participants with a history of epididymal cyst had a significantly higher 2D : 4D than those without cysts. In conclusion, all significant findings indicate that the human male reproductive function is negatively related to 2D : 4D. However, 2D : 4D for testicular cancer patients does not point to a hormonal imbalance during foetal life as the common cause for developing germ-cell cancer. Such results obtained, thanks to an easy, direct and reliable method for measuring finger lengths, suggest the usefulness of this new tool in fertility studies as well as for studying men with developmental disorders of the reproductive tract.