World J Mens Health.  2020 Apr;38(2):191-197. 10.5534/wjmh.180095.

Validation of SwimCountâ„¢, a Novel Home-Based Device That Detects Progressively Motile Spermatozoa: Correlation with World Health Organization 5th Semen Analysis

• Yoon YE
• Kim TY
• Shin TE
• Lee E
• Choi KH
• Lee SR
• Hong YK
• Park DS
• Kim DK

• KMID: 2471825
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5534/wjmh.180095

Abstract

PURPOSE
We evaluated the usefulness of a home-based device (SwimCountâ„¢) compared with World Health Organization (WHO) 5th semen analysis in screening for male fertility in Asian men.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
One hundred Asian men who visited CHA Seoul Station Fertility Center for evaluation of fertility were included. Semen samples were analyzed and compared with the SwimCount™ results. An aliquot of 0.5 mL of the semen sample was added to the SwimCount™ and a WHO 5th semen analysis was performed. Results were categorized as low (<5×10⁶/mL), and normal to high (≥5×10⁶/mL) total progressively motile sperm concentration. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to evaluate the accuracy of the SwimCount™.
RESULTS
The mean total progressively motile sperm concentration was 26.7×10⁶/mL. Semen analysis revealed that 28% of the samples were below the threshold count of 5 million/mL total progressively motile sperm concentration. The mean total progressively motile sperm concentration of the light color SwimCount™ result group determined by semen analysis was 7.5×10⁶/mL, and the mean total progressively motile sperm concentration of the moderate to dark color SwimCount™ result group was 34.2×10⁶/mL. An area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.85 (95% confidence interval, 0.77-0.94; p<0.001) was obtained when the SwimCount™ was compared with semen analysis. The sensitivity and specificity were obtained at a cut off value of 5.0×10⁶/mL total progressively motile sperm concentration, giving a sensitivity and specificity of 87.5% and 73.4%.
CONCLUSIONS
We confirmed the reliability of the SwimCountâ„¢ as a home-based device for male fertility by evaluating the total progressively motile sperm concentration.

Keyword

Fertility; Spermatozoa; Sperm count; Sperm motility

MeSH Terms

Asian Continental Ancestry Group
Fertility
Global Health*
Humans
Male
Mass Screening
ROC Curve
Semen Analysis*
Semen*
Sensitivity and Specificity
Seoul
Sperm Count
Sperm Motility
Spermatozoa*
World Health Organization*

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Methodology of using the SwimCount™ device (permitted by MotilityCount ApS, Valby, Denmark).

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  Fig. 2 Principle of the SwimCount™ device, and examples of final results in the action window (permitted by MotilityCount ApS, Valby, Denmark). TPMSC, total progressively motile sperm concentration.

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  Fig. 3 Distribution of total progressively motile sperm concentration (TPMSC) percentage according to SwimCount™ result (left, light color group; right, moderate to dark color group).

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  Fig. 4 Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for validation of SwimCount™ against conventional semen analysis for total progressively motile sperm concentration results.

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