Comparison of Prevalence of Varicocele in First-Degree Relatives of Patients with Varicocele and Male Kidney Donors

Objectives

To evaluate hereditary behavior of varicocele through comparison of prevalence of disease in first-degree relatives of patients with known varicocele and normal healthy kidney donation volunteers.

Methods

Sixty-two patients with known varicocele who admitted for surgery in Razi Hospital between September 2005 and October 2006 were enrolled in the study. The patients were asked to refer for examination healthy available first-degree relatives (n = 88). A group of 100 men referred for voluntary kidney donation were selected as control group and assessed for varicocele.

Results

Of the 88 first-degree relatives of patients with a known varicocele, 40 (45.4%) had a clinically palpable varicocele on physical examination. This was significantly greater than the 11 (11%) of 100 men in the control group (P <0.001). Of the first-degree relatives, 32 (55.1%) of 58 brothers and 8 (26.6%) of 30 fathers had palpable varicocele.

Conclusions

Clinical varicoceles are more prevalent among first-degree relatives (particularly brothers) of patients with known varicoceles and may be an indicator of hereditary behavior of the disease and necessity of screening for male family members.