Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31599718›Full record

ArticleCanadian Urological Association journal = Journal de l'Association des urologues du Canada2020

Semen parameter improvements after microsurgical subinguinal varicocele repair are durable for more than 12 months.

Vinayak Madhusoodanan, Premal Patel, Ruben Blachman-Braun, Ranjith Ramasamy

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Canadian Urological Association journal = Journal de l'Association des urologues du Canada, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
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

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Review
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

4 authors.

Vinayak MadhusoodananUniversity of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States.
Premal PatelDepartment of Urology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States.
Ruben Blachman-BraunDepartment of Urology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States.
Ranjith RamasamyDepartment of Urology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionVaricoceles account for the most common correctable cause of male infertility, with varicocele repair leading to improvements in semen quality. However, there is little evidence to establish the durability of varicocele repair. We analyzed the durability of improvements in postoperative semen parameters following microsurgical subinguinal varicocele repair.

methodsWe evaluated all men who underwent microscopic subinguinal varicocelectomy from 2015-2019. Patients were included if they desired fertility and had a followup of at least 12 months. We assessed the baseline characteristics of these patients, as well as semen volume, total motile sperm count (TMSC), concentration, percent motility, and morphology. Semen parameters were analyzed at baseline (preoperative) and at approximately three months and ≥12 months postoperatively.

resultsOf 105 men who underwent varicocelectomy, 18 men had a followup of at least 12 months. These men presented with median age of 34.5 (27-38) years for a median followup duration of 14.5 (13-22.5) months. TMSC levels increased from 6.4 (1.1-24.5) million at baseline to 11.1 (2.4-38.4) million at approximately three months and remained similar at 12.5 (1.6-31.5) million at ≥12 months. The study is limited by its retrospective nature and limited sample size.

conclusionsMicroscopic subinguinal varicocele repairs can result in durable improvements of semen quality beyond one year, as demonstrated by upgrade in median TMSC. Further studies should be performed to confirm our findings.

Identifiers

PMID31599718
PMCPMC7053364

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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.