Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34122351›Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in endocrinology2021

Effect of COVID-19 on Male Reproductive System - A Systematic Review.

Yanfei He, Jie Wang, Junlin Ren, Yubo Zhao, Jing Chen, Xuejiao Chen

Open access · goldAbstract readHistorical ArticleSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Frontiers in endocrinology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 60 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
60citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
14.4field-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.

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

60 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 97 citations in OpenAlex.

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  11. Genomic Patterns are Associated with Different Sequelae of Patients with Long-Term COVID-19.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2025
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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 1 institution in 1 country.

Yanfei HeHealth Management Center, The Sixth Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Jie WangHealth Management Center, The Sixth Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Junlin RenDepartment of Infection Control, The Sixth Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Yubo ZhaoDepartment of Urology, The Sixth Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Jing ChenCadre Clinic of the Sixth Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Xuejiao ChenScientific Research and Training Office, The Sixth Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Chinese PLA General Hospital · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Angiotensin-converting enzyme II (ACE2), a receptor for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to enter host cells, is widely expressed in testes and prostate tissues. The testis and prostate produce semen. At present, there are contradictory reports about whether SARS-CoV-2 can exist in the semen of infected men. Objective: To provide a comprehensive overview of the topic of whether COVID-19 can impact on male reproductive system. Methods: We reviewed the relevant publications on the possible impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on male reproductive system and summarized the latest and most important research results so far. Literature published in English from December 2019 to January 31, 2021 regarding the existence of SARS-CoV-2 in semen, testis, and prostatic fluid and the effects of COVID-19 on male reproductive were included. Results: We identified 28 related studies, only one of which reported the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in semen. The study found that the semen quality of patients with moderate infection was lower than that of patients with mild infection and healthy controls. The impaired semen quality may be related to fever and inflammation. Pathological analysis of the testis/epididymis showed that SARS-CoV-2 viral particles were positive in 10 testicular samples, and the spermatogenic function of the testis was impaired. All 94 expressed prostatic secretion (EPS) samples were negative for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Conclusion: The likelihood of SARS-CoV-2 in the semen of COVID-19 patients is very small, and semen should rarely be regarded as a carrier of SARS-CoV-2 genetic material. However, COVID-19 may cause testicular spermatogenic dysfunction

Indexed as

COVID-19Genitalia, MaleHistory, 21st CenturyHumansInflammationMaleProstateSARS-CoV-2SemenSemen AnalysisSexual Dysfunction, PhysiologicalTestisCOVID-19male reproductionoffspringpaternal-child transmissionprostatic secretionSARS-CoV-2sementestis

Identifiers

PMID34122351
PMCPMC8190708
OpenAlexW3171450732

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.