The effects of vasectomy on serum lipids and free fatty acids were followed. The concentration of serum cholesterol was lower one year after vasectomy than one week after and immediately before vasectomy (p less than 0.01). The LDL-cholesterol concentration decreases by 16 per cent (p less than 0.01) within one year after vasectomy. The concentration of serum free fatty acids was significantly higher (p less than 0.001) before vasectomy than after it.
PIP: Animal studies have found a link between vasectomy and atherosclerosis, presumably as a result of immunologically mediated damage to the arterial walls. To investigate further this association, the effects of vasectomy on serum cholesterol, triglycerides, and free fatty acids were studied in a sample of 14 health Finnish men 28-56 years of age. Serum samples were collected 6-8 weeks before, 1 week after, 3 months after, and 1 year after vasectomy. Serum cholesterol concentrations decreased by 10% from prevasectomy levels in the 12 months after vasectomy. There were no significant changes in high density lipoprotein (HDL)- cholesterol, but mean serum low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol decreased by 16% in the 1-year follow-up period. In 12 of the 14 subjects, LDL-cholesterol concentrations were lower 1 year after vasectomy than before the procedure. The ratio of HDL-cholesterol to LDL-cholesterol increased by 22% during the follow-up period. Serum triglyceride levels rose slightly after vasectomy and this increase attained statistical significance at 1 week. Finally, serum free fatty acid levels were significantly lowered after vasectomy in all 14 subjects. Since the strongest risk factors for coronary heart disease are raised serum total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol concentrations, the findings of this study provide no support for the hypothesis that vasectomy increases the rate of atherosclerosis.