Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34085393›Full record

ArticleAndrology2021

Central role of ultrasound in the evaluation of testicular function and genital tract obstruction in infertile males.

Andrea Garolla, Giuseppe Grande, Pierfrancesco Palego, Andrea Canossa, Nicola Caretta, Andrea Di Nisio, Giovanni Corona, Carlo Foresta

Open access · hybridAbstract readEvaluation Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Andrology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
2.3field-weighted citation impact, top 12% 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

8 citing papers in PubMed, 13 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Review
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. 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

8 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Andrea GarollaUnit of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-4736-9051
Giuseppe GrandeSecond Division of Medicine, ULSS2 Marca Trevigiana, "Ca' Foncello" Regional Hospital, Treviso, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-3264-0937
Pierfrancesco PalegoUnit of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
Andrea CanossaUnit of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
Nicola CarettaUnit of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-3181-7617
Andrea Di NisioUnit of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
Giovanni CoronaEndocrinology Unit, Medical Department, Azienda-Usl Maggiore-Bellaria Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
Carlo ForestaUnit of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-6576-2183
University of Padua · ITAzienda USL di Bologna · ITCa' Foncello Hospital · IT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundScrotal color Doppler ultrasonography and transrectal ultrasonography provide crucial information about the clinical status of testes and male accessory glands.

objectiveTo analyze the impact of ultrasound in the evaluation of infertile males. MATERIALS AND

methodsA total of 1120 records from infertile men were retrospectively evaluated (from January 2016 up to June 2020). Data on physical examination, semen analysis, sperm culture, scrotal color Doppler ultrasonography and transrectal ultrasonography, as well as sex hormones were analyzed. Among them, 238 reports from oligozoospermic/azoospermic infertile patients (P) fulfilling the inclusion criteria were considered for data analysis. Patients were subdivided into two groups according to follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) values (Pa with FSH < 8 U/L and Pb with FSH ≥ 8 U/L). Sixty-three fertile volunteers (mean ± SD years) were enrolled as controls (C).

resultsA higher prevalence of ultrasound abnormalities was recorded in P compared to C. Pb group had significantly lower bitesticular volume compared to Pa and C. Pa had a higher prevalence of transrectal ultrasonography abnormalities than Pb (69.9% vs. 38.4%), whereas Pb had a higher prevalence of abnormalities at scrotal color Doppler ultrasonography (60.0% vs. 28.3%, both p < 0.01). Bitesticular volume was inversely proportional to the number of altered seminal parameters and able to predict gonadotropin levels. A bitesticular volume <17 cc was associated with a higher risk of azoospermia (odds ratio = 1.799). Intratesticular vascularization was inversely correlated with gonadotropin levels and directly correlated with sperm count. A higher prevalence of prostate and seminal vesicle alterations was detected in patients and in Pa group, when compared with Pb group. DISCUSSION AND

conclusionUltrasound abnormalities are correlated with seminal parameters and may guide the clinician in the diagnostic workflow of male infertility, suggesting spermatogenesis impairment or genital tract obstructions.

Indexed as

AdultAzoospermiaCase-Control StudiesFollicle Stimulating HormoneGenital Diseases, MaleHumansInfertility, MaleMaleOdds RatioOligospermiaPrevalenceRectumRetrospective StudiesScrotumTestisUltrasonography, Doppler, ColorFollicle Stimulating Hormonecolor Dopplermale infertilityoligozoospermiareproductive hormonestesticular vascularizationultrasound

Identifiers

PMID34085393
PMCPMC8596694
OpenAlexW3164391824

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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.