Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40762901›Full record

Observational studyJournal of endocrinological investigation2025

Testicular index: clinical, applicable tool to predict pregnancy in men with idiopathic infertility under FSH treatment.

Daniele Santi, Raffaele Scafa, Giorgia Spaggiari, Giuseppe Grande, Marilina Romeo, Leonardo Dalla Valentina, Andrea Graziani, Antonio Raffaele Michele Granata, Andrea Garolla, Manuela Simoni and 1 more

Abstract readObservational StudyMulticenter Study
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in Journal of endocrinological investigation, 2025. 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
–field-weighted citation impact
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.

  1. 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

11 authors.

Daniele SantiDepartment of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
Raffaele ScafaDepartment of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
Giorgia SpaggiariUnit of Andrology of the Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Medical Specialties, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria of Modena, Modena, Italy. spaggiari.giorgia@aou.mo.it.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7089-7330
Giuseppe GrandeUnit of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, University Hospital of Padova, Padova, Italy.
Marilina RomeoDepartment of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
Leonardo Dalla ValentinaDepartment of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
Andrea GrazianiDepartment of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
Antonio Raffaele Michele GranataUnit of Endocrinology, Department of Medical Specialties, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria of Modena, Modena, Italy.
Andrea GarollaDepartment of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
Manuela SimoniDepartment of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
Alberto FerlinDepartment of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeFollicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) therapy improves spermatogenesis, sperm quality, and reproductive outcomes. However, variability in patients' response and limited data on pregnancy rate complicate its extensive application in male idiopathic infertility. The aim of the study was to identify predictors of FSH efficacy in male idiopathic infertility in terms of pregnancy.

designA retrospective, observational study was conducted at two Italian clinics from 2019 to 2024, enrolling men with idiopathic infertility, serum FSH < 8 IU/L, treated with FSH. Data were collected at baseline (V0) and at the final follow-up visit (V1) when FSH treatment was discontinued. Different, putative "testicular indexes" (TI) were calculated. Pregnancy rate was defined at ultrasound confirmation of fetus heartbeat.

resultsA total of 84 achieved pregnancy (19%) on 443 patients were recorded. One TI ((FSH + Total testosterone)/bi-testicular volume) was directly related to V0-semen parameters. Significant improvements in sperm concentration (p < 0.001), count (p < 0.001) and motility (p = 0.003) were observed following FSH treatment regardless of pregnancy achievement. Men who achieved pregnancy had lower baseline TI (p = 0.001), larger testicular volume (p = 0.001), and lower FSH concentrations (p = 0.001). Multivariate analysis identified patients' age (B=-0.14, standard error (SE) = 0.05, p = 0.014) and TI (B=-1.51, SE = 0.62, p = 0.015) as significant predictors of pregnancy success.

conclusionsThis real-life study identified a novel TI that predicts response to exogenous FSH stimulation. TI assesses the interstitial compartment function (indicated by testosterone concentrations), spermatogenic potential (FSH concentrations), and target tissue amount (testicular volume). Low baseline TI correlates with a higher likelihood of achieving pregnancy through exogenous FSH stimulation.

Indexed as

Follicle Stimulating HormoneInfertility, MaleTestisAdultFemaleHumansMalePregnancyPregnancy RatePrognosisRetrospective StudiesSemen AnalysisFollicle Stimulating HormoneFSHMale infertilityTesticular indexTesticular volume

Identifiers

PMID40762901

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.