| We read with great interest the article by Safarinejad
[1], which investigated an association between sulfur
mustard (SM) exposure and sperm DNA damage using
sperm chromatin structure assay on SM-injured and
non-SM-injured infertile and fertile men. Accordingly,
spermatozoa from SM-injured subjects had more abnormal
chromatin than their non-SM-injured counterparts
[1]. This article is quite interesting as the relationship
between SM exposure and sperm DNA integrity has
not been hitherto reported in the literature [1–3]. However,
there are 2 controversial findings in the study by
Safarinejad. In table 1 of the results section, Safarinejad
recorded 122.7 nmol/l as the mean value of serum
testosterone level in non-SM-injured healthy fertile men
(group 4 of the study). In contrast, the mean serum level
of testosterone in other studied groups including SM-injured
infertile and fertile men and non-SM-injured infertile
individuals was about 12.6 nmol/l. Nonetheless, under
serum hormones subheading, insignificant difference
was concluded among the study groups with regard to
this serum hormone [1]. The mean serum level of testosterone
in group 4 of the study seems irrelevant to the
reference values (i.e. 9.36–37.10 nmol/l) as well |