Evidence map›Paper›PMID 21607575›Full record

ArticleWorld journal of urology2011

Color Doppler ultrasound imaging in varicoceles: is the venous diameter sufficient for predicting clinical and subclinical varicocele?

A Pilatz, B Altinkilic, E Köhler, M Marconi, W Weidner

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in World journal of urology, 2011. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 35 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
35citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
5.6field-weighted citation impact, top 5% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

35 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 88 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Guideline
  3. The association between body mass index and varicocele: A meta-analysis.International braz j urol : official journal of the Brazilian Society of Urology
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  14. The use of scrotal ultrasound in the evaluation of varicoceles: A survey study of reproductive specialists.Canadian Urological Association journal = Journal de l'Association des urologues du Canada · 2020
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

A PilatzDepartment of Urology, Pediatric Urology and Andrology, University Hospital Giessen and Marburg GmbH-Giessen, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Rudolf-Buchheim-Strasse 7, 35385 Giessen, Germany. adrian.pilatz@chiru.med.uni-giessen.de
B Altinkilic
E Köhler
M Marconi
W Weidner
University of Giessen · DEUniversitätsklinikum Gießen und Marburg · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeInvestigating the diagnostic value of color Doppler ultrasound for defining the varicocele grade according to WHO criteria.

methodsA total of 217 men (129 with clinical varicocele and 88 without clinical varicocele) were investigated by physical examination and color Doppler ultrasound and categorized according to WHO varicocele criteria (0, subclinical, I, II, and III). Diameter and reflux of the largest vein in the pampiniform plexus were measured bilaterally with the patient in the supine position in rest and during the Valsalva maneuver. To assess the possibility of differentiating varicocele grade by venous diameter, optimal cut-point values were determined by receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) analysis.

resultsWith increased varicocele grade, a larger vein diameter was more significant in rest and during Valsalva (in all cases P < 0.05), except between grade I and grade II. Retrograde peak flow velocities were similar in every group (in all cases P > 0.1). Only grade III varicoceles demonstrated significantly increased peak flow values compared with all other grades (P < 0.001). There were no side-related differences when comparing identical varicocele grades (in all cases P > 0.1). Venous diameters above 2.45 mm in rest (sensitivity 84%, specificity 81%) or 2.95 mm during Valsalva (sensitivity 84%, specificity 84%) predicted the presence of a clinical varicocele.

conclusionsOur findings support the hypothesis that clinical varicoceles can be predicted with high accuracy based only on the diameter of testicular veins using cut-point values of >2.45 mm in rest or >2.95 mm during Valsalva maneuver in the supine position.

Indexed as

Ultrasonography, Doppler, ColorAdolescentAdultHumansMaleMiddle AgedPredictive Value of TestsProspective StudiesVaricoceleVeinsYoung Adult

Identifiers

PMID21607575
OpenAlexW2059505780

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.