Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26932683›Full record

SynthesisScientific reports2016

Zinc levels in seminal plasma and their correlation with male infertility: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Jiang Zhao, Xingyou Dong, Xiaoyan Hu, Zhou Long, Liang Wang, Qian Liu, Bishao Sun, Qingqing Wang, Qingjian Wu, Longkun Li

Registry-linked trialOpen access · goldAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Scientific reports, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06339996 (To Investigate Supplements for Improving Male Sperm Quality and Combating Aging), which is not on this map. Cited by 77 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
77citing papers in PubMed, 6 pooled it
13.6field-weighted citation impact, top 1% 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.

NCT06339996 narecruitingnot on this mapstarted 2024, after this paper: background citation

To Investigate Supplements for Improving Male Sperm Quality and Combating Aging

TypeinterventionalSponsorKaohsiung Veterans General Hospital.Ran2024 to 2025Enrolled50ConditionsUnrecognized ConditionArmsMale supplement
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

77 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 182 citations in OpenAlex.

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17 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

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

10 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Jiang ZhaoDepartment of Urology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China.
Xingyou DongDepartment of Urology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China.
Xiaoyan HuDepartment of Urology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China.
Zhou LongDepartment of Urology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China.
Liang WangDepartment of Urology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China.
Qian LiuDepartment of Urology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China.
Bishao SunDepartment of Urology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China.
Qingqing WangDepartment of Urology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China.
Qingjian WuDepartment of Urology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China.
Longkun LiDepartment of Urology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China.
Army Medical University · CNXinqiao Hospital · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Zinc is an essential trace mineral for the normal functioning of the male reproductive system. Current studies have investigated the relationship between seminal plasma zinc and male infertility but have shown inconsistent results. Hence, we systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, Science Direct/Elsevier, CNKI and the Cochrane Library for studies that examined the relationship between seminal plasma zinc and male infertility, as well as the effects of zinc supplementation on sperm parameters. Twenty studies were identified, including 2,600 cases and 867 controls. Our meta-analysis results indicated that the seminal plasma zinc concentrations from infertile males were significantly lower than those from normal controls (SMD (standard mean differences) [95% CI] -0.64 [-1.01, -0.28]). Zinc supplementation was found to significantly increase the semen volume, sperm motility and the percentage of normal sperm morphology (SMD [95% CI]: -0.99 [-1.60, -0.38], -1.82 [-2.63, -1.01], and -0.75 [-1.37, -0.14], respectively). The present study showed that the zinc level in the seminal plasma of infertile males was significantly lower than that of normal males. Zinc supplementation could significantly increase the sperm quality of infertile males. However, further studies are needed to better elucidate the correlation between seminal plasma zinc and male infertility.

Indexed as

AdultDietary SupplementsHumansInfertility, MaleMaleMiddle AgedPublication BiasSemenZincZinc

Identifiers

PMID26932683
PMCPMC4773819
OpenAlexW2307790336

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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.