Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37280035›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2023

Efficacy of coenzyme Q10 supplementation for male infertility with high sperm DNA fragmentation index: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Yu Zhao, Xiaoli Zhao, Guangyin Zhang, Ruihong Ma, Qiang Geng, Bin Ouyang, Tian Xia

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
0.8field-weighted citation impact, top 25% 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

1 citing paper in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Silicon-Based Agent Attenuates Age-Related Spermatogenesis Disorder.International journal of urology : official journal of the Japanese Urological Association · 2025
    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 2 institutions in 1 country.

Yu ZhaoDepartment of Andrology, First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China.ORCID 0000-0003-3975-155X
Xiaoli ZhaoDepartment of Reproductive Center, First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China.
Guangyin ZhangDepartment of Psychosomatic Medicine, First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, People's Republic of China tj_zhang120@163.com xiatian76@163.com.
Ruihong MaDepartment of Reproductive Center, First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China.
Qiang GengDepartment of Andrology, First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China.
Bin OuyangDepartment of Andrology, First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China.
Tian XiaDepartment of Reproductive Center, First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China tj_zhang120@163.com xiatian76@163.com.
First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine · CNTianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionInfertility is a focal issue in public health and affects human reproduction and survival. Notably, an increasing number of studies in recent decades have found that sperm DNA integrity plays a critical role in the development of healthy embryos. Among the multiple pathogenic factors of sperm DNA fragmentation, oxidative stress has proven to be predominant. Coenzyme Q10 supplementation, which has been used for the treatment of male infertility, has shown good clinical efficacy due to its oxidation resistance, but its efficacy as measured by the sperm DNA fragmentation index remains controversial. To address this issue, we will perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of coenzyme Q10 for male infertility patients with a high sperm DNA fragmentation index. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Studies and Web of Science databases will be comprehensively searched from inception to 31 December 2022 to identify relevant studies published in the English language using appropriate search strategies. The search terms will be derived from the following concepts: sperm DNA fragmentation, coenzyme Q10 and randomised controlled trials. Two review stages, that is, title and abstract screening and full-text screening, will be performed by two reviewers. The risk of bias, publication bias and evidence grade of the included studies will be assessed using a standardised protocol. Data will be used to calculate effect sizes. Heterogeneity among the studies will be evaluated graphically. Subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis will be performed if necessary to validate the results. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: No ethical approval will be needed, as there will be no participants in this study. We will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines to disseminate the findings through publication and conference presentation. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42022293340.

Indexed as

Infertility, MaleSemenDietary SupplementsDNA FragmentationHumansMaleMeta-Analysis as TopicSpermatozoaSystematic Reviews as TopicUbiquinonecoenzyme Q10Ubiquinonereproductive medicinesubfertilityurogynaecology

Identifiers

PMID37280035
PMCPMC10254600
OpenAlexW4379598909

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.