Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32217836›Full record

Observational studyAsian journal of andrology

Comparison of ART outcomes in men with altered mRNA protamine 1/protamine 2 ratio undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection with ejaculated and testicular spermatozoa.

Jonás Sarasa, María Enciso, Laura García, Andrea Leza, Klaus Steger, Jon Aizpurua

Open access · goldAbstract readComparative StudyObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in Asian journal of andrology. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
1.8field-weighted citation impact, top 16% 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

3 citing papers in PubMed, 13 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Human sperm RNA in male infertility.Nature reviews. Urology · 2025
    Review
  3. Article
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

6 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Jonás SarasaiGLS, Alicante 03540, Spain.
María EncisoiGLS, Alicante 03540, Spain.
Laura GarcíaIVF-Spain, Alicante 03540, Spain.
Andrea LezaIVF-Spain, Alicante 03540, Spain.
Klaus StegerDepartment of Urology, Pediatric Urology and Andrology, Molecular Andrology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen 35385, Germany.
Jon AizpuruaIVF-Spain, Alicante 03540, Spain.
Clínica IVI Alicante · ESUniversity of Giessen · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Assisted reproductive technologies involving the use of spermatozoa and eggs for in vitro fertilization (IVF) have come as the solution for many infertile couples to become parents. However, in some cases, the use of ejaculated spermatozoa delivers poor IVF performance. Some studies have suggested the use of testicular spermatozoa in severe male infertility cases, but no guidelines regarding their utilization are currently available. In the present study, we found the mRNA protamine 1/protamine 2 (P1/P2) ratio to be a valuable biomarker of poor sperm function that could be used as a diagnostic key for the identification of cases that would benefit from the use of testicular spermatozoa. A total of 23 couples undergoing egg donation cycles with at least one previous cycle failure were studied. All couples underwent two consecutive intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles with either ejaculated or testicular spermatozoa (TESA). The sperm mRNA P1/P2 ratio, fertilization rate, blastocyst rate, and pregnancy and live birth rate were compared. Results showed improved ICSI and clinical outcomes in cycles with testicular spermatozoa in men with altered mRNA P1/P2 ratios. TESA cycles presented significantly higher rates of fertilization (mean ± standard deviation: 76.1% ± 15.1% vs 65.5% ± 18.8%), blastocyst formation (55.0% ± 20.3% vs 30.8% ± 23.8%), and good morphological quality blastocyst (28.9% ± 22.9% vs 13.5% ± 17.9%) and also improvements on pregnancy (60.9% vs 0%) and healthy birth rates (56.5% vs 0%) than EJACULATE cycles. The results described here suggest that in patients with previous IVF/ICSI failures and aberrant mRNA protamine ratios, the use of testicular spermatozoa may be a good alternative to improve clinical outcomes.

Indexed as

Reproductive Techniques, AssistedSperm Injections, IntracytoplasmicSperm RetrievalAdultHumansMaleMiddle AgedProtaminesRetrospective StudiesRNA, MessengerSpermatozoaTreatment OutcomePRM1 protein, humanprotamine 2ProtaminesRNA, MessengerDNA damagemale infertilitymRNA protamine ratiosperm chromatintesticular spermatozoa

Identifiers

PMID32217836
PMCPMC7705981
OpenAlexW3013698433

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-SA
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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.