ReviewAndrologia2021
Potential mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 action on male gonadal function and fertility: Current status and future prospects.
Review in Andrologia, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 35 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled 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.
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.
Who cites it
35 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 73 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effects of mild/asymptomatic COVID-19 on semen parameters and sex-related hormone levels in men: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Asian journal of andrologyPooled it
- Ultrastructural Features, Immune Response, and Junctional Proteins in the Seminiferous Epithelium of SARS-CoV-2-Infected Mice.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Article
- Food and medicine homology: a potential nutritional intervention strategy for post-acute COVID-19 syndrome.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2025Review
- Causal associations between COVID-19 and erectile dysfunction: a Mendelian randomization study.The Journal of international medical research · 2024Article
- Evaluation of semen DNA integrity and related parameters with COVID-19 infection: a prospective cohort study.Virology journal · 2023Article
- Persistent oligonecrozoospermia after asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection. A case report and literature review.Heliyon · 2023Article
- Detection of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 after vaccination in seminal plasma and their association to sperm parameters.International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases · 2023Article
- Review
- Sperm concentrations do not correlate with semen parameters and hormone profiles in males recovered from COVID-19.Translational andrology and urology · 2023Article
- Review
- Effect of COVID-19 infection on the erectile function.Andrology · 2023Article
- COVID-19 associates with semen inflammation and sperm quality impairment that reverses in the short term after disease recovery.Frontiers in physiology · 2023Article
- Laboratory medicine in pandemic of COVID-19.Biochemia medica · 2022Article
- Case - Sperm DNA fragmentation associated with COVID-19 infection.Canadian Urological Association journal = Journal de l'Association des urologues du Canada · 2022Article
- Metabolic, Oxidative and Psychological Stress as Mediators of the Effect of COVID-19 on Male Infertility: A Literature Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Review
- Increased odds ratio for erectile dysfunction in COVID-19 patients.Journal of endocrinological investigation · 2022Article
- Diabetes as a potential compounding factor in COVID-19-mediated male subfertility.Cell & bioscience · 2022Review
- Male Infertility and Oxidative Stress: A Focus on the Underlying Mechanisms.Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Review
- Could Lower Testosterone in Older Men Explain Higher COVID-19 Morbidity and Mortalities?International journal of molecular sciences · 2022Review
- Impacts of COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 on male reproductive function: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol.BMJ open · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
The novel coronavirus was recognised in December 2019 and caught humanity off guard. The virus employs the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor for entry into human cells. ACE2 is expressed on different organs, which is raising concern as to whether these organs can be infected by the virus or not. The testis appears to be an organ enriched with levels of ACE2, while the possible mechanisms of involvement of the male reproductive system by SARS-CoV-2 are not fully elucidated. The major focus of the present studies is on the short-term complications of the coronavirus and gains importance on studying the long-term effects, including the possible effects of the virus on the male reproductive system. The aim of this review was to provide new insights into different possible mechanisms of involvement of male gonads with SARS-CoV-2 including investigating the ACE2 axis in testis, hormonal alterations in patients with COVID-19, possible formation of anti-sperm antibodies (ASA) and subsequently immunological infertility as a complication of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Finally, we suggest measuring the sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) as a determiner of male fertility impairment in patients with COVID-19 along with other options such as sex-related hormones and semen analysis. Invasion of SARS-CoV-2 to the spermatogonia, Leydig cells and Sertoli cells can lead to sex hormonal alteration and impaired gonadal function. Once infected, changes in ACE2 signalling pathways followed by oxidative stress and inflammation could cause spermatogenesis failure, abnormal sperm motility, DNA fragmentation and male infertility.
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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.