Overall Semen Quality (SQ) and Relative Semen Quality (RQ) Scores of Agarwal et al

Parameters:

(1) sperm concentration as a multiple of 10^6 per mL

(2) percent motility (from 0 to 100)

(3) percent normal using strict morphology using Tygerberg criteria (Mortimer and Menkveld, from 0 to 100)

(4) percent normal using WHO morphology (from 0 to 100)

(5) curvilinear velocity in micrometers per second (µm/s)

(6) straight line velocity in micrometers per second (µm/s)

(7) average path velocity in micrometers per second (µm/s)

(8) linearity in percent (enter from 0 to 100)

(9) amplitude of lateral head displacement in micrometers (µm)

where:

• The curvilinear velocity is the time-averaged velocity of the sperm head along its actual curvilinear path.

• The straight line velocity is the time-averaged velocity of the sperm head along the straight line between its first detected position and its last.

• The average path velocity  is the time-averaged velocity of the sperm head along its average path.

• The linearity of curvilinear path = (VSL) / (VCL) * 100%

• The amplitude of lateral head displacement is magnitude of lateral displacement of a sperm head about its average path.

overall semen quality SQ score =

= (((0.807647 * (LOG10(sperm concentration + 1))) + (0.254114 * (LOG10(percent motility + 1))) + (0.331027 * (LOG10(percent normal Tygerberg + 1))) + (0.274769 * (LOG10(percent normal WHO + 1))) + (0.146286 * (LOG10(curvilinear velocity + 1))) + (0.193481 * (LOG10(straight line velocity + 1))) + (0.175990 * (LOG10(average path velocity + 1))) + (0.009109 * (LOG10(linearity + 1))) + (0.090307 * (LOG10(amplitude of lateral head displacement + 1)))) * 34.46018) - 20.1911369

relative semen quality RQ score =

= (((-0.567457 * (LOG10(sperm concentration + 1))) + (0.147947* (LOG10(percent motility + 1))) + (0.605335 * (LOG10(percent normal Tygerberg + 1))) + (0.418694 * (LOG10(percent normal WHO + 1))) + (0.180399 * (LOG10(curvilinear velocity + 1))) + (0.202853 * (LOG10(straight line velocity + 1))) + (0.1891590 * (LOG10(average path velocity + 1))) + (0.009502 * (LOG10(linearity + 1))) + (0.069321 * (LOG10(amplitude of lateral head displacement + 1)))) * 55.1448) + 24.5183708

where:

• A "1" was added to all of the raw values (page 344). The arguments given escape me.

• 34.46018 = 10 / (0.29019)

• 55.1448 = 10 / (0.1813407)

Interpretation:

• The SQ score is the sum of all semen characteristics with varying weights for each parameter. The SQ score decreases as the number of abnormal features increases.

• The SQ score for a normal person ranges from 100 to 120.

• The RQ score is the relative quality, with negative weighting for concentration and positive weighting for the other 8 parameters. The highest RQ score would be for a specimen with a low sperm concentration and the other features above average.

• The RQ score for a normal person ranges from 100 to 120.

• The scores from before and after an intervention can be compared to determine if an improvement has occurred.