Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35255654›Full record

ArticleClinical and experimental reproductive medicine2022

The impact of COVID-19 on the male genital tract: a qualitative literature review of sexual transmission and fertility implications.

Pierangelo Verrienti, Gianmartin Cito, Fabrizio Di Maida, Riccardo Tellini, Andrea Cocci, Andrea Minervini, Alessandro Natali

Open access · diamondAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Clinical and experimental reproductive medicine, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.3field-weighted citation impact, top 21% 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

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Review
  4. Review
  5. 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

7 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Pierangelo VerrientiDepartment of Urology, Careggi Hospital, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Gianmartin CitoDepartment of Urology, Careggi Hospital, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Fabrizio Di MaidaDepartment of Urology, Careggi Hospital, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Riccardo TelliniDepartment of Urology, Careggi Hospital, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Andrea CocciDepartment of Urology, Careggi Hospital, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Andrea MinerviniDepartment of Urology, Careggi Hospital, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Alessandro NataliDepartment of Urology, Careggi Hospital, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
University of Florence · IT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor (ACE2) appears to be widely expressed in cells in the testes, predominantly in spermatogonia, Sertoli cells, and Leydig cells, and its co-expression with transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2) is essential for the entry of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). For this reason, the male reproductive system could be considered a potential target for SARS-CoV-2, as well as a possible reservoir of infection. However, to date, there is very little evidence about the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in semen and testicular samples. The aim of this paper was to review the current evidence regarding the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on male fertility and sexual health, with a particular focus on reproductive hormones, the presence of the virus in seminal fluid and testis, and its impact on fertility parameters. We found very limited evidence reporting the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in semen and testicular samples, and the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on reproductive hormones and fertility parameters is unclear. The quality of the examined studies was poor due to the small sample size and several selection biases, precluding definitive conclusions. Hence, future well-designed prospective studies are needed to assess the real impact of SARS-CoV-2 on male reproductive function.

Indexed as

COVID-19FertilityMalePathologyPhysiologySARS-CoV-2Semen analysisTestis

Identifiers

PMID35255654
PMCPMC8923629
OpenAlexW4214685653

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
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.