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Relationship between oxidative stress, varicocele and infertility: a meta-analysis
Open accessAbstract
Varicocele is one of the leading causes of male infertility, and is present in almost 40% of infertile males. Recent understanding of the role of oxidative stress in male reproduction has led some researchers to postulate oxidative stress as the possible cause of sperm dysfunction in varicocele patients. The objective of the present study was to examine the published literature on the role of oxidative stress in patients with varicocele as the aetiology of their infertility. Twenty-three human studies were identified after an extensive search dealing with the role of oxidative stress in varicocele-associated infertility. Out of these studies, four were selected that measured similar types of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by a similar method of measurement. The data were then entered in the RevMan software for analysis. The overall estimate showed that patients have significantly higher concentrations of ROS than controls, with the mean difference being 0.73 (95% CI 0.40, 1.06, P < 0.0001). This translated to an ROS concentration of 4.37 x 10(4) cpm/20 x 10(6) spermatozoa/ml on the linear scale. Total antioxidant capacity levels were found to be significantly lower in the infertile varicocele patients, with 386 fewer trolox equivalents than the controls (95% CI -556.56-216.96, P < 0.00001). From the results, it can be concluded that there is increased oxidative stress in varicocele patients; however, more studies are needed to confirm this finding.
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“Due to the production of excessive amounts of ROS in numerous medical conditions, including varicocele [43], leukocytospermia [44], diabetes mellitus [45], and obesity [46], seminal OS develops.”
From The Sixth Edition of the WHO Manual for Human Semen Analysis: A Critical Review and SWOT Analysis (2021) · cites this paper as [43]
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Research works printed but not linked: 19
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Items 201–208 of 208
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Lao, M. R., Smith, S. M., & Gilbert, B. R. (2020) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-52309-1_16 · Cited by 1
Zylbersztejn, D., & Esteves, S. C. (2020) · Male Infertility · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-32300-4_31
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Busetto, G., Giudice, F. D. D., & Berardinis, E. D. (2019) · Varicocele and Male Infertility · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-79102-9_15
Conventional Semen Analysis and Specialized Sperm Function Tests in Patients with Varicocele
Majzoub, A., Cho, C., Agarwal, A., & Esteves, S. (2019) · Varicocele and Male Infertility · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-79102-9_12
Self-citationUltrastructural analysis application for spermatozoa study in male infertility
Pichugova, S. V., Tulakina, L. G., Klein, A. V., & YaB, B. (2016) · doi:10.15761/mdde.1000105
“Factors that because male infertility include: varicocele [2-5], changes in biochemical parameters of ejaculate [6,7], infectious and inflammatory diseases of the urogenital system [8-11], immune infertility [12,13], endocrine disorders [14-17], drug addiction [18], smoking and alcohol addiction [20-22].”
BackgroundSurgical Treatment for Male Infertility
Esteves, S., & Miyaoka, R. (2012) · doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-3335-4_6
Infertility and Assisted Reproduction: Evaluation of Sperm Damage: Beyond the WHO Criteria
Aziz, N., & Agarwal, A. (2008) · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511547287.022
Self-citation
Metadata
- Authors
- Agarwal, A., Prabakaran, S., & Allamaneni, S. S.
- Affiliations
- Glickman Urological Institute (US)
- Venue
- Reproductive BioMedicine Online
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2006-01
- Volume
- 12
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 630-633
- ISSN
- 1472-6483 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2169474580
- Cited by
- 261
- References
- 20
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 20 · 2022: 22 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 17 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 18 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 18
- FWCI
- 10.48
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Reproductive BioMedicine Online (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Cleveland Clinic
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Sperm and Testicular Function
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Urology › Male Reproductive Health Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Biochemistry (medical) › Antioxidant Activity and Oxidative Stress
- Keywords
- varicocele, male infertility, oxidative stress, reactive oxygen species, sperm dysfunction, total antioxidant capacity, antioxidant status
- MeSH terms
- Antioxidants, Humans, Infertility, Male, Male, Spermatozoa, Varicocele, Reactive Oxygen Species, Oxidative Stress
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