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Kugelman N, Hochberg A, Dahan MH. Impact of short abstinence versus testicular sperm on sperm DNA fragmentation: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Arch Gynecol Obstet 2024; 310:1831-1843. [PMID: 39196330 DOI: 10.1007/s00404-024-07704-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 08/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Optimal sperm DNA integrity is essential for fertilization and embryo health. Research indicates that testicular sperm (TS), obtained via TESA or TESE, typically show lower sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) than ejaculated sperm after standard abstinence. Shortening abstinence to less than 2 days might reduce SDF, offering a less invasive and more cost-effective alternative to surgical sperm retrieval. Yet, no studies have directly compared the efficacy of shorter abstinence against TS extraction for lowering SDF. Our meta-analysis aims to address this gap by comparing SDF levels in TS to those in ejaculated sperm after a short abstinence period. METHODS Meta-analysis of 16 randomized controlled and prospective observational studies included 4 on TS and 12 on short abstinence ejaculation. The meta-analysis followed MOOSE guidelines, scrutinizing databases including Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, MEDLINE(R), and PUMBED up to November 16, 2023. The analysis was conducted using RevMan. The observational studies' methodological quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, and the overall evidence quality was evaluated following the GRADE criteria. To compare short ejaculation duration and TS (are not directly compared in the literature) for SDF levels, we analyzed relevant data from studies of each method. We adjusted the participant numbers in the TS group by 1/3 and included each TS study three times, to perform a comparison against the short duration studies which were in a ratio of 1:3. This approach maintained an unaltered cumulative subject count for the meta-analysis of TS studies. RESULTS A total of 641 patients were included, comprising 120 and 521 patients with SDF measurements following TS and ejaculation after a short abstinence period, respectively. The studies had varied inclusion criteria, with not all patients having an initial elevated SDF. Some studies had incomplete details on age and other demographics. However, the mean ± SD age of 93 TS patients was 38.15 ± 5.48 years vs. 37.7 ± 6.0 years of 444 short abstinence patients, demonstrating no significant difference (P = 0.544). Short abstinence durations ranged from 1 to 48 h. Diverse DNA fragmentation tests were used: TUNEL assay in three testicular sperm studies, SCD assay in one, and in the short abstinence group, four used TUNEL and six used SCD assays, along with one each using SCSA and Halosperm. The mean ± SD SDF was lower in the TS group than in the short abstinence group (mean difference - 9.48, 95%CI - 12.45 to - 6.52, P < 0.001, I2 = 85%). Sensitivity analysis revealed that no single study significantly influenced the results. Employing the GRADE criteria, the initial assessment categorized the overall quality of evidence as low due to the observational nature of the acquired data. All studies were of medium to high quality. CONCLUSION This study suggests testicular sperm may be better than ejaculated sperm for improving SDF in infertility cases. Direct comparisons are needed, before deeming short abstinence less effective. Future research should directly compare reproductive outcomes using both methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nir Kugelman
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
| | - Alyssa Hochberg
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- The Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Michael H Dahan
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Ochando I, Urbano A, Rueda J. Genetics in reproductive medicine. Arch Med Res 2024; 55:103092. [PMID: 39342776 DOI: 10.1016/j.arcmed.2024.103092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2024] [Revised: 09/08/2024] [Accepted: 09/18/2024] [Indexed: 10/01/2024]
Abstract
Thanks to advances in technology, genetic testing is now available to explore the causes of infertility and to assess the risk of a given couple passing on a genetic disorder to their offspring. This allows at-risk couples to make an informed decision when opting for assisted reproduction and allows professionals to offer pre-implantation diagnosis when appropriate. Genetic screening of an infertile couple has thus become standard practice for an appropriate diagnosis, treatment, and prognostic assessment. This review aims to highlight the conditions under which genetic screening plays a role in improving reproductive outcomes for infertile couples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Ochando
- Nuuma Genetics, Hospital HLA Vistahermosa, Alicante, Spain; Departamento de Histología y Anatomía, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Alicante, Spain.
| | - Antonio Urbano
- Nuuma Genetics, Hospital HLA Vistahermosa, Alicante, Spain; Departamento de Histología y Anatomía, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Alicante, Spain
| | - Joaquín Rueda
- Departamento de Histología y Anatomía, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Alicante, Spain
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Sharafatdoust Asl A, Zabetian Targhi M, Zeaei S, Halvaei I, Nosrati R. High-throughput selection of sperm with improved DNA integrity and rapidly progressive motility using a butterfly-shaped chip compared to the swim-up method. LAB ON A CHIP 2024. [PMID: 39314182 DOI: 10.1039/d4lc00506f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/25/2024]
Abstract
Microfluidics provides unique opportunities for the high throughput selection of motile sperm with improved DNA integrity for assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs). Here, through a parametric study on dimensions and geometrical angles, a butterfly-shaped chip (BSC) is presented to isolate sperm with high progressive motility and intact DNA at a separation rate of 1125 sperm per minute. Using finite element simulations, the flow field and shear rates in the device were optimized to leverage the inherent motility characteristics of sperm for maximum selection throughput. The device incorporates a triple selection mechanism in series, initially activating sperm rheotaxis by rotation against the semen flow, penetrating the counter buffer flow and swimming against the direction of the buffer flow, leaving dead cells and debris behind, and subsequently leveraging boundary-following behavior to direct progressively motile sperm to swim along the walls and reach the device outlet. The device selects over 4.1 million sperm per mL within 20 minutes, with 29.2%, 68.2%, and 57.3% improvement in total motility, DNA integrity, and velocity parameter (VCL), as compared with the conventional swim-up method, respectively. Overall, the performance of the device to separate sperm with approximately 95.9% total motility, 97.8% viability, and 96.6% DNA integrity at high concentrations demonstrates its potential for enhancing the efficiency of conventional treatment methods.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Soroush Zeaei
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Iman Halvaei
- Department of Anatomical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Reza Nosrati
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
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Conti D, Calamai C, Muratori M. Sperm DNA Fragmentation in Male Infertility: Tests, Mechanisms, Meaning and Sperm Population to Be Tested. J Clin Med 2024; 13:5309. [PMID: 39274522 PMCID: PMC11396444 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13175309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2024] [Revised: 08/25/2024] [Accepted: 09/04/2024] [Indexed: 09/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Sperm DNA fragmentation (sDF) is a DNA damage able to predict natural conception. Thus, many laboratories added tests for the detection of sDF as an adjunct to routine semen analysis with specific indications. However, some points related to sDF are still open. The available tests are very different each from other, and a direct comparison, in terms of the prediction of reproductive outcomes, is mandatory. The proposed mechanisms responsible for sDF generation have not yielded treatments for men with high levels of sDF that have gained the general consent in clinical practice, thus requiring further research. Another relevant point is the biological meaning to attribute to sDF and, thus, what we can expect from tests detecting sDF for the diagnosis of male infertility. SDF can represent the "tip of iceberg" of a more extended and undetected sperm abnormality somehow impacting upon reproduction. Investigating the nature of such a sperm abnormality might provide novel insights into the link between sDF and reproduction. Finally, several studies reported an impact of native sDF on assisted reproduction technique outcomes. However, to fertilise the oocyte, selected spermatozoa are used where sDF, if present, associates with highly motile spermatozoa, which is the opposite situation to native semen, where most sDF associates with non-viable spermatozoa. Studies comparing the impact of sDF, as assessed in both native and selected spermatozoa, are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donata Conti
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio", University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy
| | - Costanza Calamai
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio", University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy
| | - Monica Muratori
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio", University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy
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Baldi E, Colpi GM, Huang ZW, Balagobi B, Boitrelle F, Shah R, Agarwal A. High sperm DNA fragmentation - finding a needle in the haystack: tips on selecting the best sperm for ICSI and ART. Asian J Androl 2024:00129336-990000000-00235. [PMID: 39224976 DOI: 10.4103/aja202451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Baldi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Piazza San Marco, Firenze 4-50121, Italy
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH 44022, USA
| | - Giovanni M Colpi
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH 44022, USA
- Andrology and IVF Center, Next Fertility Procrea, Lugano 6900, Switzerland
| | - Zhong-Wei Huang
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH 44022, USA
- NUS Bia-Echo Asia Centre for Reproductive Longevity and Equality, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117456, Singapore
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, National University Health Systems, Singapore 119228, Singapore
| | - Balasingam Balagobi
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH 44022, USA
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Jaffna, Adiyapatham Road, Kokuvil West, Kokuvil 40000, Sri Lanka
| | - Florence Boitrelle
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH 44022, USA
- Department of Reproductive Biology, Fertility Preservation, Andrology and CECOS, Poissy 78303, France
- Department BREED, UVSQ, INRAE, Paris Saclay University, Jouy-en-Josas 78000, France
| | - Rupin Shah
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH 44022, USA
- Department of Urology, Lilavati Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai 400050, Maharashtra, India
- Well Women's Clinic, Sir H N Reliance Hospital, Mumbai 400004, Maharashtra, India
| | - Ashok Agarwal
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH 44022, USA
- Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
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Lira FT, Campos LR, Roque M, Esteves SC. From pathophysiology to practice: addressing oxidative stress and sperm DNA fragmentation in Varicocele-affected subfertile men. Int Braz J Urol 2024; 50:530-560. [PMID: 39106113 PMCID: PMC11446552 DOI: 10.1590/s1677-5538.ibju.2024.9917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Varicocele can reduce male fertility potential through various oxidative stress mechanisms. Excessive production of reactive oxygen species may overwhelm the sperm's defenses against oxidative stress, damaging the sperm chromatin. Sperm DNA fragmentation, in the form of DNA strand breaks, is recognized as a consequence of the oxidative stress cascade and is commonly found in the ejaculates of men with varicocele and fertility issues. This paper reviews the current knowledge regarding the association between varicocele, oxidative stress, sperm DNA fragmentation, and male infertility, and examines the role of varicocele repair in alleviating oxidative-sperm DNA fragmentation in these patients. Additionally, we highlight areas for further research to address knowledge gaps relevant to clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipe Tenório Lira
- Andros RecifeRecifePEBrasilAndros Recife, Recife, PE, Brasil
- Instituto de Medicina Integral Prof. Fernando FigueiraDepartamento de UrologiaRecifePEBrasilDepartamento de Urologia, Instituto de Medicina Integral Prof. Fernando Figueira, Recife, PE, Brasil
- Hospital Santa Joana RecifeRecifeBrasilHospital Santa Joana Recife, Recife, PE, Brasil
| | - Lucas Ribeiro Campos
- Universidade Federal de Minas GeraisDepartamento de UrologiaBelo HorizonteMGBrasilDepartamento de Urologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Matheus Roque
- Mater PrimeDepartamento de Medicina ReprodutivaSão PauloSPBrasilDepartamento de Medicina Reprodutiva, Mater Prime, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Sandro C. Esteves
- ANDROFERT - Clínica de Andrologia e Reprodução HumanaCentro de Referência. em Reprodução MasculinaCampinasSPBrasilANDROFERT - Clínica de Andrologia e Reprodução Humana, Centro de Referência. em Reprodução Masculina, Campinas, SP, Brasil
- Disciplina de Urologia da Universidade Estadual de CampinasDepartamento de CirurgiaCampinasSPBrasilDepartamento de Cirurgia, Disciplina de Urologia da Universidade Estadual de Campinas - UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brasil
- Aarhus UniversityFaculty of HealthDepartment of Clinical MedicineAarhusDenmarkDepartment of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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DiTosto JD, Caniglia EC, Hinkle SN, Sealy N, Schisterman EF, Johnstone E, Mendola P, Mills J, Hotaling J, Ryan G, Mumford SL. Target trial emulation of preconception serum vitamin D status on fertility outcomes: a couples-based approach. Fertil Steril 2024:S0015-0282(24)01963-0. [PMID: 39173703 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2024.08.332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2024] [Revised: 08/15/2024] [Accepted: 08/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate associations between preconception 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels and biomarkers in female and male partners on live birth (LB), pregnancy loss, and semen quality. DESIGN Secondary analysis using the folic acid and zinc supplementation trial of couples seeking infertility treatment at four US centers (2013-2017). A target trial emulation framework was applied to estimate associations. Couples were observed for 9 months or through pregnancy. SETTING Clinics that provide reproductive endocrinology and infertility care in the US. PATIENT(S) Couples seeking infertility treatment. INTERVENTION(S) Preconception concentrations of 25(OH)D (primary) and associated biomarkers: vitamin D binding protein, calcium, free vitamin D, bioavailable vitamin D. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Live birth and pregnancy loss were ascertained via self-report and medical records. Semen quality was ascertained 6 months after enrollment. Log-binomial regression estimated risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Individual and joint models and effect measure modification by preconception body mass index were considered. RESULT(S) Among 2,370 couples, 19.5% of females and 29.9% of males were 25(OH)D deficient. Females with sufficient status had a 28%-higher likelihood of LB than deficient females (95% CI, 1.05-1.56). Female and male 25(OH)D status were associated with LB among those with normal body mass index (sufficient vs. deficient: female adjusted risk ratio [aRR], 1.39; 95% CI, 1.00-1.99; male aRR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.01-2.25) and among obese female partners (sufficient vs. deficient: aRR, 1.33; 95% CI, 0.95-1.85). Couples whose both partners had higher 25(OH)D status had increased likelihood of LB (both not deficient vs. both deficient aRR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.00-1.58). No associations were observed with pregnancy loss or semen quality. Similar results were found for all biomarkers except calcium. CONCLUSION(S) Preconception vitamin D status and bioavailability impact fertility among couples seeking infertility therapy, likely unrelated to semen quality. Body mass index stratified analyses demonstrated heterogeneous associations. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT01857310.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia D DiTosto
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Ellen C Caniglia
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Stefanie N Hinkle
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Naria Sealy
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Enrique F Schisterman
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Erica Johnstone
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Pauline Mendola
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
| | - James Mills
- Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Epidemiology Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Jim Hotaling
- Department of Surgery (Urology) and Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Reconstructive Urology and Men's Health, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Ginny Ryan
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, D.C
| | - Sunni L Mumford
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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Kaiyal RS, Karna KK, Kuroda S, Sgayer I, Shlush E, Vij SC, Lundy SD, Cannarella R. Sperm chromatin dispersion assay reliability and assisted reproductive technology outcomes: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Andrology 2024. [PMID: 39132969 DOI: 10.1111/andr.13725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Revised: 07/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Elevated sperm DNA fragmentation has potential implications for semen quality and fertility. The commonly used sperm chromatin dispersion test offers an indirect estimation but has limitations in terms of bias and variability. This study aimed to assess the reliability of the sperm chromatin dispersion assay for predicting assisted reproductive technology outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS This systematic review included studies published until December 2023 that adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases were searched. Various assisted reproductive technology outcomes in patients with high (≥ 30%) versus low (< 30%) sperm DNA fragmentation were compared using a sperm chromatin dispersion assay and including a sub-analysis of intracytoplasmic sperm injection versus in vitro fertilization. A comprehensive meta-analysis software facilitated quantitative analysis with statistical comparisons between cases and controls. Interstudy heterogeneity was assessed, and sensitivity and publication bias tests were performed. RESULTS Of the 199 abstracts assessed, 64 full-text articles were screened, and 44 articles were qualitatively synthesized. Fourteen articles representing 5346 participants were quantitatively analyzed. Using the sperm chromatin dispersion assay, elevated sperm DNA fragmentation was associated with lower fertilization and embryo cleavage rates. Notably, high sperm DNA fragmentation levels did not affect the clinical pregnancy, implantation, miscarriage, or live birth outcomes. Sub-analysis revealed lower fertilization, embryo cleavage, clinical pregnancy, live birth rates, and higher miscarriage rates in the intracytoplasmic sperm injection subgroup only. CONCLUSIONS The sperm chromatin dispersion assay did not show significant differences in pregnancy or live birth rates between the high- and low-sperm DNA fragmentation groups. Noteworthy, high sperm DNA fragmentation was associated with worse assisted reproductive technology outcomes in the intracytoplasmic sperm injection group. Given the current quality of the evidence, affected by the experimental design and the absence of correction for female factors of infertility, clinicians should be wary of the assay's limited predictive power for pregnancy and live birth outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raneen Sawaid Kaiyal
- Department of Urology, Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Keshab Kumar Karna
- Department of Molecular Cell and Cancer Biology, Umass Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Shinnosuke Kuroda
- Department of Urology, Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Inshirah Sgayer
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Galilee Medical Center, Nahariya, Israel
- Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar Ilan University, Safed, Israel
| | - Ekaterina Shlush
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Galilee Medical Center, Nahariya, Israel
- Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar Ilan University, Safed, Israel
| | - Sarah C Vij
- Department of Urology, Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Scott D Lundy
- Department of Urology, Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Rossella Cannarella
- Department of Urology, Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
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Verón GL, Manjon AA, Bello R, Catalano D, Arévalo L, Santiago J, Vazquez-Levin MH. A 2-step remote TUNEL approach for sperm DNA fragmentation assessment. Analysis in donors and patients. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2024; 299:231-239. [PMID: 38905966 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2024.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Infertility is a disease of the male or female reproductive systems. Male reproductive workup is based on routine semen analysis, although of limited value. The 2021 WHO Manual incorporated Sperm DNA Fragmentation (SDF) assessment, and highlighted the need for individual laboratories to define suitable thresholds. This study aimed to present an alternative to address this issue, determine an SDF cut-off value with fertile donors, and characterize SDF in a patient cohort and their relationship with semen parameters. STUDY DESIGN A service unit was established to remotely perform TUNEL assay in a 2 step-process. Semen samples were received at andrology laboratories, subjected to routine semen analysis (WHO, 2010), partially processed and transported to the service unit for SDF evaluation. Using this setting, studies were done in fertile donors (n = 15) to define the cut-off value, and in men undergoing infertility workup (n = 318). RESULTS A cut-off value of 9.17 % was determined with the fertile donor cohort. With this cut-off, a 64.46 % abnormal SDF incidence was determined in the patient cohort. SDF negatively correlated with sperm number, vitality and motility, and positively with abnormal morphology and male age (P < 0.05). TUNEL-positive cases depicted lower sperm quality and higher male age (P < 0.05). A similar abnormal SDF incidence was determined among patients with semen abnormalities. Asthenozoospermic and ≥40 years patient samples depicted higher (P < 0.05) SDF than those of the general population. SDF incidence was also high in normozoospermic patients. CONCLUSIONS Using a 2-step remote approach with a standardized procedure and an SDF cut-off value established with fertile donors, high SDF incidence in semen samples depicting normal and abnormal quality were identified in men consulting for infertility, highlighting the relevance of its evaluation as part of the male fertility workup.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Luis Verón
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ania Antonella Manjon
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ricardo Bello
- Universidad de Tres de Febrero. Sáenz Peña, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Débora Catalano
- Centro de Diagnóstico Enrique Rossi (CDRossi), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | | | | | - Mónica Hebe Vazquez-Levin
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Shepherd MJ, Gonzalez-Castro RA, Herickhoff LA. Application of antioxidants in extender on bull sperm cryopreservation to reduce the male effect in dairy fertility. J Dairy Sci 2024:S0022-0302(24)01035-X. [PMID: 39067752 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2024-24872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Because male and female effects on fertility must be considered, it may be difficult to achieve accurate and repeatable fertility predictions using only sperm characteristics given differences in breed, health, and season. Improving sperm quality after cryopreservation may be a method to reduce the male effect on the fertility outcome. This study was conducted using 2 different Certified Semen Service approved extenders, one containing plant-derived antioxidants, to assess cryopreserved sperm quality and determine pregnancy per artificial insemination (P/AI) in a commercial dairy farm. Beef bull ejaculates (n = 24 ejaculates, n = 4 bulls) were split and frozen in egg-yolk-TRIS (EYT) or GameteGuard-FB cryopreservation extenders. Frozen-thawed sperm was evaluated for sperm quality and used for insemination in dairy cows (n = 4856). There was an improvement in total and progressive motility, acrosome integrity, and reduction of DNA fragmentation at 0 and 3 h after thawing in sperm frozen in GameteGuard-FB when compared with the EYT extender. An overall 12.7% improvement in pregnancy per AI (P/AI) was observed when GameteGuard-FB (40.8%) was used for cryopreservation when compared with EYT (36.2%). More importantly, GameteGuard-FB frozen semen increased P/AI for first service by 19.5% (35.9% EYT and 42.9% GameteGuard-FB) and 45.0% was also observed at third service (31.3% EYT and 45.4% GameteGuard-FB). The use of GameteGuard-FB resulted in an average 40% P/AI among bulls. Taken together, the increase in cryopreserved sperm quality using GameteGuard-FB can be used to minimize the male effects on pregnancy outcomes in commercial dairy farms.
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11
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Dornbush J, Golan R, Gurayah AA, Kuchakulla M, Jhaveri H, Kresch E, Sathe A, Manda P, Campbell K, Ramasamy R. Top-cited articles in andrology journals from 2013-2022: a bibliometric analysis. Int J Impot Res 2024:10.1038/s41443-024-00908-4. [PMID: 38806629 DOI: 10.1038/s41443-024-00908-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Bibliometric analyses serve to identify influential articles that have shaped medical practice and fostered new research ideas. Over the past decade, research in andrology has witnessed exponential growth, with an increasing number of academic publications, collaborations, and research innovations. However, there is a lack of literature that has identified the top-cited andrology articles. We conducted a bibliometric analysis to identify the top 1000 citations in andrology journals, with a focus on the top funding agencies, authors, institutions, countries/regions, and journals. To perform this analysis, we identified the top-cited articles in andrology journals as indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection. From 2013 through 2022, we found a total of 9827 articles published in andrology journals. The top publishers included "Andrology," the "Asian Journal of Andrology," and "Andrologia." The top affiliations contributing to research include the Cleveland Clinic Foundation (269 publications), Egyptian Knowledge Bank (EKB) (265), and Shanghai Jiao Tong University (202). Funding was primarily provided by notable agencies such as the National Natural Science Foundation of China (905 grants), United States Department of Health Human Services (321), and National Institutes of Health (NIH USA) (317). The present bibliometric analysis highlights andrology research from 2013 through 2022, offering key insights into leading contributors, influential authors, prominent funding sources, and major trends in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Dornbush
- Medical College of Georgia, AU/UGA Medical Partnership, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Roei Golan
- Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Aaron A Gurayah
- Department of Urology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Hasan Jhaveri
- Department of Urology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Ely Kresch
- Department of Urology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Aditya Sathe
- Department of Urology, University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Pranay Manda
- Department of Urology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Kevin Campbell
- Department of Urology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Ranjith Ramasamy
- Desai Sethi Urology Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
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12
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Xu L, Xing Z, Yuan J, Han Y, Jiang Z, Han M, Hou X, Xing W, Li Z. Ultrasmall Nanoparticles Regulate Immune Microenvironment by Activating IL-33/ST2 to Alleviate Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury. Adv Healthc Mater 2024; 13:e2303276. [PMID: 38335143 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202303276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a common disease with high morbidity and mortality. Renal IRI can cause the disorder of immune microenvironment and reprograming the immune microenvironment to alleviate excessive inflammatory response is crucial for its treatment. Cytokine IL-33 can improve the immune inflammatory microenvironment by modulating both innate and adaptive immune cells, and serve as an important target for modulating immune microenvironment of renal IRI. Herein, we report that bilobetin-functionalized ultrasmall Cu2- xSe nanoparticles (i.e., CSPB NPs) can activate the PKA/p-CREB/IL-33/ST2 signaling pathway to regulate innate and adaptive immune cells for reprograming the immune microenvironment of IRI-induced acute kidney injury. The biocompatible CSPB NPs can promote the polarization of M1-like macrophages into M2-like macrophages, and the expansion of ILC2 and Treg cells by activating IL-33/ST2 to modulate the excessive immune inflammatory response of renal IRI. More importantly, they can rapidly accumulate at the injured kidney to significantly alleviate IRI. This work demonstrates that modulating the expression of cytokines to reprogram immune microenvironment has great potential in the treatment of renal IRI and other ischemic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liyao Xu
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital 3, Soochow University, Changzhou, 213003, P. R. China
- Center for Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X), Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Zhaoyu Xing
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital 3, Soochow University, Changzhou, 213003, P. R. China
| | - Jiaxin Yuan
- Center for Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X), Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Yaobao Han
- Center for Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X), Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Zhilin Jiang
- Center for Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X), Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Mengxiao Han
- Center for Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X), Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Xianao Hou
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital 3, Soochow University, Changzhou, 213003, P. R. China
- Center for Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X), Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Wei Xing
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital 3, Soochow University, Changzhou, 213003, P. R. China
| | - Zhen Li
- Center for Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X), Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
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13
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Dabizzi S, Calamai C, Degl'Innocenti S, Boni L, Vignozzi L, Maggi M, Baldi E, Muratori M. Tip-microVapour Fast Freezing: A novel easy method for cryopreserving severe oligozoospermic samples. Andrology 2024; 12:862-869. [PMID: 37706229 DOI: 10.1111/andr.13531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sperm cryopreservation is an important procedure for oligozoospermic subjects at risk of azoospermia and after surgical recovery of spermatozoa in non-obstructive azoospermic men. Conventional procedures for sperm cryopreservation might be, however, not suitable for samples with a very low sperm number. OBJECTIVES In this pilot study, we investigated the recoveries of sperm motility and viability in severe oligozoospermic subjects (n = 39) after cryopreservation with a tip-microVapour Fast Freezing, a procedure previously developed by our group for men with good semen quality. Sperm DNA fragmentation was also evaluated in a second group of oligozoospermic samples (n = 16). MATERIALS AND METHODS We used a Vapour Fast Freezing procedure using 10 μL tips as carrier, and Test Yolk Buffer as freezing medium (tip-microVapour Fast Freezing). In a subset of samples (n = 22), we compared recovery of motility and viability as obtained with tip-microVapour Fast Freezing and with a Vapour Fast Freezing procedure using 500 μL straws. Sperm DNA fragmentation was evaluated by the sperm chromatin dispersion test. RESULTS We found a recovery rate (median [interquartile range]) of 0.29 (0.13-0.41) for progressive motility, 0.30 (0.21-0.52) for total motility and 0.48 (0.29-0.60) for viability. Interestingly, we observed that samples with the poorest motility were apparently less damaged by freezing/thawing. In a subset of samples (n = 22), we directly compared values of viability, progressive motility and total motility by freezing/thawing with tip-microVapour Fast Freezing and Vapour Fast Freezing conducted with 500 μL straws. We found much better values of all sperm parameters in samples after freezing/thawing with tip-microVapour Fast Freezing than with Vapour Fast Freezing in 500 μL straws: that is, progressive motility: 7.00 (3.00-8.50)% versus 2.00 (0.00-4.25)%, p < 0.001; total motility: 12.00 (8.00-16.25)% versus 6.50 (1.00-9.25)%, p < 0.001; viability: 29.75 (23.75-45.25) versus 22.50 (13.75-28.13), p < 0.001, respectively. In the second group of oligozoospermic samples, we found that tip-microVapour Fast Freezing produced lower levels of sperm DNA fragmentation than straws (33.00 [19.75-36.00]% vs. 36.00 [22.75-41.87]%, p < 0.001). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION Tip-microVapour Fast Freezing appears to be a very promising method to cryopreserve semen samples from severe oligozoospermic patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Dabizzi
- Unit of Andrology, Women's Endocrinology and Gender Incongruence, Centre for the Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Infertility, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Careggi Hospital, Florence, Italy
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences 'Mario Serio', University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Costanza Calamai
- Unit of Andrology, Women's Endocrinology and Gender Incongruence, Centre for the Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Infertility, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Careggi Hospital, Florence, Italy
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences 'Mario Serio', University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Selene Degl'Innocenti
- Unit of Andrology, Women's Endocrinology and Gender Incongruence, Centre for the Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Infertility, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Careggi Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Luca Boni
- Unit of Clinical Epidemiology, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
| | - Linda Vignozzi
- Unit of Andrology, Women's Endocrinology and Gender Incongruence, Centre for the Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Infertility, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Careggi Hospital, Florence, Italy
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences 'Mario Serio', University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Mario Maggi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences 'Mario Serio', University of Florence, Florence, Italy
- Unit of Endocrinology, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Careggi Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Baldi
- Unit of Andrology, Women's Endocrinology and Gender Incongruence, Centre for the Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Infertility, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Careggi Hospital, Florence, Italy
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Monica Muratori
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences 'Mario Serio', University of Florence, Florence, Italy
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White J, Cartaya S, Black K, Ledesma B, Arbelaez MCS, Muthigi A, Ramasamy R. Are varicoceles the holy grail of Andrology? Int J Impot Res 2024; 36:177-180. [PMID: 37069437 DOI: 10.1038/s41443-023-00696-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
Varicoceles are a common condition affecting up to 15% of men in the general population, and up to 40% of men with infertility. A varicocele is an abnormal dilation of the veins within the scrotum, which can lead to reduced sperm production and testicular damage, resulting in infertility. Despite the prevalence of varicoceles, much remains to be discovered about their diagnosis, treatment, and long-term impact. Varicoceles are considered the 'holy grail' of Andrology because they represent a complex, multifactorial condition that requires a comprehensive approach to diagnosis and treatment. While surgical repair of varicoceles has been shown to improve fertility outcomes in some cases, there is still debate about the best approach to diagnosis and treatment, and long-term outcomes are not well understood. Advances in diagnostic imaging, such as color Doppler ultrasound, have improved our ability to identify varicoceles, but more research is needed to fully understand the impact of this condition on male fertility and overall health. As such, varicoceles represent an ongoing area of investigation in Andrology with much progress to be made in terms of diagnosis, treatment, and long-term impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua White
- University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Urology, Miami, FL, USA.
| | - Sofia Cartaya
- University of South Florida, Undergraduate Education, Tampa Bay, FL, USA
| | | | - Braian Ledesma
- University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Urology, Miami, FL, USA
| | | | - Akhil Muthigi
- University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Urology, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Ranjith Ramasamy
- University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Urology, Miami, FL, USA
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15
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Ragosta ME, Traini G, Tamburrino L, Degl’Innocenti S, Fino MG, Dabizzi S, Vignozzi L, Baldi E, Marchiani S. Sperm Chromatin Dispersion Test Detects Sperm DNA Fragmentation Mainly Associated with Unviable Spermatozoa and Underestimates the Values with Respect to TUNEL Assay. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4481. [PMID: 38674066 PMCID: PMC11050179 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25084481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Several clinical laboratories assess sperm DNA fragmentation (sDF) in addition to semen analysis in male infertility diagnosis. Among tests evaluating sDF, TUNEL (Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling) and SCD (Sperm Chromatin Dispersion) are widely used. Our lab developed a modified version of TUNEL (TUNEL/PI) able to distinguish two sperm populations (PI Brighter and PI Dimmer) differently associated with sperm viability and reproductive outcomes. The aim of this study was to compare sDF levels detected by SCD and TUNEL/PI in the semen samples from 71 male subjects attending our Andrology Laboratory. Our results demonstrate that SCD is less sensitive in determining sDF compared to TUNEL/PI. The statistically significant positive correlation found between sDF evaluated by SCD and PI Dimmer (consisting of all dead spermatozoa) suggests that SCD mainly detects sDF in unviable spermatozoa. We confirmed that most spermatozoa detected by SCD are unviable by performing SCD after incubation in hypo-osmotic medium to discriminate viable and unviable cells in 52 samples. Such results might explain the lower ability of this test in discriminating couples having successful ART outcomes demonstrated in published metanalyses. Overall, our results indicate that SCD is less sensitive in evaluating sDF for diagnostic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Emanuela Ragosta
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy;
| | - Giulia Traini
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences “Mario Serio”, University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy; (G.T.); (L.V.); (S.M.)
| | - Lara Tamburrino
- Andrology, Women’s Endocrinology and Gender Incongruence Unit, Center for Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Infertility, Careggi University Hospital, 50134 Florence, Italy; (L.T.); (S.D.); (M.G.F.); (S.D.)
| | - Selene Degl’Innocenti
- Andrology, Women’s Endocrinology and Gender Incongruence Unit, Center for Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Infertility, Careggi University Hospital, 50134 Florence, Italy; (L.T.); (S.D.); (M.G.F.); (S.D.)
| | - Maria Grazia Fino
- Andrology, Women’s Endocrinology and Gender Incongruence Unit, Center for Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Infertility, Careggi University Hospital, 50134 Florence, Italy; (L.T.); (S.D.); (M.G.F.); (S.D.)
| | - Sara Dabizzi
- Andrology, Women’s Endocrinology and Gender Incongruence Unit, Center for Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Infertility, Careggi University Hospital, 50134 Florence, Italy; (L.T.); (S.D.); (M.G.F.); (S.D.)
| | - Linda Vignozzi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences “Mario Serio”, University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy; (G.T.); (L.V.); (S.M.)
- Andrology, Women’s Endocrinology and Gender Incongruence Unit, Center for Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Infertility, Careggi University Hospital, 50134 Florence, Italy; (L.T.); (S.D.); (M.G.F.); (S.D.)
| | - Elisabetta Baldi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy;
- Andrology, Women’s Endocrinology and Gender Incongruence Unit, Center for Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Infertility, Careggi University Hospital, 50134 Florence, Italy; (L.T.); (S.D.); (M.G.F.); (S.D.)
| | - Sara Marchiani
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences “Mario Serio”, University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy; (G.T.); (L.V.); (S.M.)
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16
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Cannarella R, Shah R, Saleh R, Boitrelle F, Hamoda TAAAM, Singh R, Salvio G, Toprak T, Falcone M, Gul M, Dimitriadis F, Rambhatla A, Russo GI, Ko E, Zini A, Kavoussi P, Phuoc NHV, Kandil H, Ghayda RA, Birowo P, Gherabi N, Ceyhan E, Dong J, Malhotra V, Durairajanayagam D, Kolbasi B, Bahar F, Calik G, Çayan S, Pinggera GM, Calogero AE, Rajmil O, Mostafa T, Atmoko W, Harraz AM, Le TV, de la Rosette J, Hakim L, Pescatori E, Sergeyev O, Rashed A, Saini P, Agarwal A. Effects of Varicocele Repair on Sperm DNA Fragmentation and Seminal Malondialdehyde Levels in Infertile Men with Clinical Varicocele: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. World J Mens Health 2024; 42:321-337. [PMID: 38164034 PMCID: PMC10949029 DOI: 10.5534/wjmh.230235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Varicoceles can be a source of elevated seminal oxidative stress (OS) and sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF). However, it remains unclear whether varicocele repair (VR) could reduce these parameters. This systematic review and meta-analysis (SRMA) aims to investigate the impact of VR on SDF and seminal malondialdehyde (MDA). MATERIALS AND METHODS A literature search was performed in Scopus, PubMed, Ovid, Embase, and Cochrane databases. This SRMA included randomized controlled trials and observational studies reporting the pre- and postoperative levels of SDF and seminal OS in infertile men with clinical varicocele that underwent VR. Subgroup analyses included techniques of VR and SDF testing. The effect size was expressed as standardized mean difference (SMD). RESULTS Out of 1,632 abstracts assessed for eligibility, 29 studies with 1,491 infertile men were included. The analysis showed a significant reduction in SDF after VR, compared to preoperative values (SMD -1.125, 95% confidence interval [CI] -1.410, -0.840; p<0.0001) with high inter-study heterogeneity (I²=90.965%). Reduction in SDF was evident with microsurgical technique and non-microsurgical inguinal approaches (SMD -1.014, 95% CI -1.263, -0.765; p<0.0001, and SMD -1.495, 95% CI -2.116, -0.873; p<0.0001), respectively. Reduction in SDF was significant irrespective of testing was done by sperm chromatin dispersion (SMD -2.197, 95% CI -3.187, -1.207; p<0.0001), sperm chromatin structure assay (SMD -0.857, 95% CI -1.156, -0.559; p<0.0001) or TUNEL (SMD -1.599, 95% CI -2.478, -0.719; p<0.0001). A significant decrease in seminal MDA levels was observed following VR (SMD -2.450, 95% CI -3.903 to -0.997, p=0.001) with high inter-study heterogeneity (I²=93.7%). CONCLUSIONS Using pre- and post-intervention data, this SRMA indicates a significant reduction in SDF and seminal MDA levels in infertile men with clinical varicocele treated with VR. These findings may have important implications for the future management of this selected group of infertile patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rossella Cannarella
- Department of Urology, Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
| | - Rupin Shah
- Department of Urology, Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Lilavati Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai, India
| | - Ramadan Saleh
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Andrology, Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt
| | - Florence Boitrelle
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Reproductive Biology, Fertility Preservation, Andrology, CECOS, Poissy Hospital, Poissy, France
- Department of Biology, Reproduction, Epigenetics, Environment and Development, Paris Saclay University, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Taha Abo-Almagd Abdel-Meguid Hamoda
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, Minia, Egypt
| | - Rajender Singh
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Division of Endocrinology, Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, India
| | - Gianmaria Salvio
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Endocrinology, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - Tuncay Toprak
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Marco Falcone
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Molinette Hospital, A.O.U. Città della Salute e della Scienza, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | - Murat Gul
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Selçuk University School of Medicine, Konya, Turkey
| | - Fotios Dimitriadis
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Amarnath Rambhatla
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Vattikuti Urology Institute, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Giorgio I Russo
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Urology Section, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Edmund Ko
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Loma Linda University Health, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Armand Zini
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Parviz Kavoussi
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Reproductive Urology, Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine/Westlake IVF, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Nguyen Ho Vinh Phuoc
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Andrology, Binh Dan Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Department of Andrology and Nephro-Urology, Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Hussein Kandil
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Fakih IVF Fertility Center, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Ramy Abou Ghayda
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Urology Institute, University Hospitals, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Ponco Birowo
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Nazim Gherabi
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Medicine, Algiers University, Algiers, Algeria
| | - Erman Ceyhan
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Jie Dong
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Reproductive Medical Center, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Vineet Malhotra
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, SCM Clinic and Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Damayanthi Durairajanayagam
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh Campus, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Bircan Kolbasi
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Fahmi Bahar
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Andrology Section, Siloam Sriwijaya Hospital, Palembang, Indonesia
| | - Gokhan Calik
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Selahittin Çayan
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, University of Mersin School of Medicine, Mersin, Turkey
| | - Germar-Michael Pinggera
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Aldo E Calogero
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
| | - Osvaldo Rajmil
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Andrology Department, Fundació Puigvert, Barcelona, Spain
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Taymour Mostafa
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Andrology, Sexology and STIs, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Widi Atmoko
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Ahmed M Harraz
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of General Surgery, Urology Unit, Farwaniya Hospital, Farwaniya, Kuwait
- Department of Urology, Sabah Al Ahmad Urology Center, Kuwait City, Kuwait
- Department of Urology, Urology and Nephrology Center, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Tan V Le
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Andrology, Binh Dan Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Department of Andrology and Nephro-Urology, Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Jean de la Rosette
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Istanbul Medipol Mega University Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Lukman Hakim
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Universitas Airlangga Teaching Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia
| | - Edoardo Pescatori
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Andrology and Reproductive Medicine Unit, Next Fertility GynePro, Bologna, Italy
| | - Oleg Sergeyev
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
- Laboratory of Genetics of Reproductive Disorders, Research Centre for Medical Genetics, Moscow, Russia
| | - Ayman Rashed
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, 6th October University, Tanta, Egypt
| | - Pallavi Saini
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Division of Endocrinology, Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, India
| | - Ashok Agarwal
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
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17
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Lira Neto FT, Roque M, Esteves SC. Effect of varicocele and varicocelectomy on sperm deoxyribonucleic acid fragmentation rates in infertile men with clinical varicocele. Minerva Obstet Gynecol 2024; 76:49-69. [PMID: 36222786 DOI: 10.23736/s2724-606x.22.05169-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Varicocele is the leading cause of male infertility. It can affect sperm quantity and quality through various non-mutually exclusive pathophysiological mechanisms, mainly oxidative stress. Excessive production of reactive oxygen species may overwhelm the sperm's defenses against oxidative stress and harm the sperm's DNA. Excessive sperm DNA breaks, so-called sperm DNA fragmentation, result from the oxidative stress cascade and are commonly found in the ejaculates of men with varicocele and fertility-related issues. Measuring sperm DNA fragmentation can provide valuable information on the extent of harm and might help select candidates for surgical treatment. Varicocelectomy is beneficial for alleviating oxidative stress-associated infertility and improving sperm DNA integrity. However, reproductive outcomes of infertile men with elevated sperm DNA fragmentation rates and surgically treated varicoceles remain poorly studied, and there is a need for well-designed trials to determine the impact of sperm DNA fragmentation reduction on natural and medically assisted reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipe T Lira Neto
- AndrosRecife, Andrology Clinic, Recife, Brazil
- Department of Urology, Prof. Fernando Figueira Institute of Integrative Medicine, Recife, Brazil
| | - Matheus Roque
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Mater Prime, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sandro C Esteves
- ANDROFERT, Andrology and Human Reproduction Clinic, Referral Center for Male Reproduction, Campinas, Brazil -
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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18
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Escudé-Logares L, Serrano-Novillo C, Uroz L, Galindo A, Márquez C. Advanced Paternal Age: A New Indicator for the Use of Microfluidic Devices for Sperm DNA Fragmentation Selection. J Clin Med 2024; 13:457. [PMID: 38256591 PMCID: PMC10816896 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13020457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
New social conditions and progress in ART have both contributed to the delay in parenthood in developed countries. While the effects of maternal age have been widely studied, paternal age is poorly understood, and there are no specific guides on ART techniques to treat its deleterious effects. It is known that there is an increase in sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) in elderly men, and new sperm selection devices using microfluids have been developed. This study analyses 189 ICSI cycles with donor oocytes performed between January 2018 and February 2022. Spermatozoa were selected using an MSS device or density gradients, followed by ICSI fertilization and fresh/thawed embryo transfer. We assessed the association between the selection technique, paternal age (< or ≥45) and reproductive outcomes. Fertilization (FR), blastulation (BR), implantation (IR), live-birth (LBR) and miscarriage (MR) rates were calculated. The results showed significantly higher IR (57.7% vs. 42.5%) and LBR (42.9% vs. 30.3%) when applying MSS selection, and particularly higher BR, IR and LBR when the paternal age was equal to or over 45 years (BR: 64.4 ± 23% vs. 50.1 ± 25%, IR: 51.5% vs. 31.6% and LBR: 42.4% vs. 23.7%). We also found a negative correlation between BR and paternal age (r2 = 0.084). The findings show that MSS enhances success in assisted reproduction cycles with ICSI, especially in couples with advanced paternal age. We propose advanced paternal age as a new indicator for the application of sperm selection techniques that reduce fragmentation.
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19
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AmirJannati N, Mohazzab A, Fathalian M, Akhavizadegan H. Comparison of Embryological Results of Microinjection in Two Groups of Men with and without Requesting Sperm DNA Fragmentation Index Measurement. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 2024:6769510. [PMID: 38213385 PMCID: PMC10783986 DOI: 10.1155/2024/6769510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Introduction The sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) is considered a valuable measure to assess male fertility, but the predictive value of DFI for the outcomes in assisted reproductive technology (ART) is still controversial. Therefore, this study is aimed at investigating the effect of requesting a DFI test or performing ART without DFI on the results observed in the embryology laboratory (number of embryos, fertilization rate, and embryo quality) after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Methods This retrospective study was conducted on infertile men who underwent ICSI and were referred to the Avicenna Infertility and Recurrent Abortion Treatment Center in Tehran from 2019 to 2022. The samples were categorized into two groups: a case group with DFI measurement and a control group without DFI measurement. We conducted a comparative analysis of the embryology results between the two groups, focusing on parameters such as fertilization rate, number of embryos, and embryo quality. t-tests and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to conduct single variable analysis. Potential confounding effects were adjusted to use the multivariate linear and logistic regression. Results Data analysis showed no significant statistical difference between the case group and the control group in terms of the number of embryos (95% confidence interval for the regression coefficient (β) = -0.257-0.123), and embryo quality (95% confidence interval for β = -0.199-0.114). There was no significant statistical difference between the two groups due to the fertilization rate (95% confidence interval for β = -3.42-3.42), except for the variables of woman's age and sperm count after ICSI, as determined by adjusted linear regression. Conclusions Although DFI measurement is used to assess male infertility, its importance as a predictor for the embryology outcomes after ICSI requires further evaluation and the determination of a cut-off point for predicting results. This study was based on retrospectively collected DFI data, and prospective studies confirming the superiority of ICSI outcomes are necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naser AmirJannati
- Reproductive Biotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR), Tehran, Iran
| | - Arash Mohazzab
- Reproductive Biotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR), Tehran, Iran
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Manizheh Fathalian
- Reproductive Biotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR), Tehran, Iran
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20
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Agarwal A, Farkouh A, Saleh R, Hamoda TAAAM, Salvio G, Boitrelle F, Harraz AM, Ghayda RA, Kavoussi P, Gül M, Toprak T, Russo GI, Durairajanayagam D, Rambhatla A, Birowo P, Cannarella R, Phuoc NHV, Zini A, Arafa M, Wyns C, Tremellen K, Sarıkaya S, Lewis S, Evenson DP, Ko E, Calogero AE, Bahar F, Martínez M, Ambar RF, Colpi GM, Bakircioglu ME, Henkel R, Kandil H, Serefoglu EC, Alfakhri A, Tsujimura A, Kheradmand A, Marino A, Adamyan A, Zilaitiene B, Ozer C, Pescatori E, Vogiatzi P, Busetto GM, Balercia G, Elbardisi H, Akhavizadegan H, Sajadi H, Taniguchi H, Park HJ, Maldonado Rosas I, Al-Marhoon M, Sadighi Gilani MA, Alhathal N, Quang N, Pinggera GM, Kothari P, Micic S, Homa S, Long TQT, Zohdy W, Atmoko W, Ibrahim W, Sabbaghian M, Abumelha SM, Chung E, Ugur MR, Ozkent MS, Selim O, Darbandi M, Fukuhara S, Jamali M, de la Rosette J, Kuroda S, Smith RP, Baser A, Kalkanli A, Tadros NN, Aydos K, Mierzwa TC, Khalafalla K, Malhotra V, Moussa M, Finocchi F, Rachman RI, Giulioni C, Avidor-Reiss T, Kahraman O, Çeker G, Zenoaga-Barbăroșie C, Barrett TL, Yilmaz M, Kadioglu A, Jindal S, Omran H, Bocu K, Karthikeyan VS, Franco G, Solorzano JF, Vishwakarma RB, Arianto E, Garrido N, Jain D, Gherabi N, Sokolakis I, Palani A, Calik G, Kulaksiz D, Simanaviciene V, Simopoulou M, Güngör ND, Blecher G, Falcone M, Jezek D, Preto M, Amar E, Le TV, Ahn ST, Rezano A, Singh K, Rocco L, Savira M, Rajmil O, Darbandi S, Sogutdelen E, Boeri L, Hernández G, Hakim L, Morimoto Y, Japari A, Sofikitis N, Altay B, Metin Mahmutoglu A, Al Hashimi M, Ziouziou I, Anagnostopoulou C, Lin H, Shah R. Technical Aspects and Clinical Limitations of Sperm DNA Fragmentation Testing in Male Infertility: A Global Survey, Current Guidelines, and Expert Recommendations. World J Mens Health 2024; 42:202-215. [PMID: 37635341 PMCID: PMC10782128 DOI: 10.5534/wjmh.230076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) is a functional sperm abnormality that can impact reproductive potential, for which four assays have been described in the recently published sixth edition of the WHO laboratory manual for the examination and processing of human semen. The purpose of this study was to examine the global practices related to the use of SDF assays and investigate the barriers and limitations that clinicians face in incorporating these tests into their practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS Clinicians managing male infertility were invited to complete an online survey on practices related to SDF diagnostic and treatment approaches. Their responses related to the technical aspects of SDF testing, current professional society guidelines, and the literature were used to generate expert recommendations via the Delphi method. Finally, challenges related to SDF that the clinicians encounter in their daily practice were captured. RESULTS The survey was completed by 436 reproductive clinicians. Overall, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase deoxyuridine triphosphate Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) is the most commonly used assay chosen by 28.6%, followed by the sperm chromatin structure assay (24.1%), and the sperm chromatin dispersion (19.1%). The choice of the assay was largely influenced by availability (70% of respondents). A threshold of 30% was the most selected cut-off value for elevated SDF by 33.7% of clinicians. Of respondents, 53.6% recommend SDF testing after 3 to 5 days of abstinence. Although 75.3% believe SDF testing can provide an explanation for many unknown causes of infertility, the main limiting factors selected by respondents are a lack of professional society guideline recommendations (62.7%) and an absence of globally accepted references for SDF interpretation (50.3%). CONCLUSIONS This study represents the largest global survey on the technical aspects of SDF testing as well as the barriers encountered by clinicians. Unified global recommendations regarding clinician implementation and standard laboratory interpretation of SDF testing are crucial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashok Agarwal
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
| | | | - Ramadan Saleh
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Andrology, Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt
| | - Taha Abo-Almagd Abdel-Meguid Hamoda
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, Minia, Egypt
| | - Gianmaria Salvio
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Endocrinology, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - Florence Boitrelle
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Reproductive Biology, Fertility Preservation, Andrology, CECOS, Poissy Hospital, Poissy, France
- Department of Biology, Reproduction, Epigenetics, Environment, and Development, Paris Saclay University, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Ahmed M Harraz
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Urology and Nephrology Center, Mansoura, Egypt
- Department of Surgery, Urology Unit, Farwaniya Hospital, Farwaniya, Kuwait
- Department of Urology, Sabah Al Ahmad Urology Center, Kuwait City, Kuwait
| | - Ramy Abou Ghayda
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Urology Institute, University Hospitals, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Parviz Kavoussi
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Reproductive Urology, Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine/Westlake IVF, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Murat Gül
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Selçuk University School of Medicine, Konya, Turkey
| | - Tuncay Toprak
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Giorgio Ivan Russo
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Urology Section, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Damayanthi Durairajanayagam
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh Campus, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Amarnath Rambhatla
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Henry Ford Health System, Vattikuti Urology Institute, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Ponco Birowo
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Rossella Cannarella
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
- Department of Urology, Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Nguyen Ho Vinh Phuoc
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Andrology, Binh Dan Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Department of Urology and Andrology, Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Armand Zini
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Mohamed Arafa
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Urology, Weill Cornell Medical-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Andrology and STDs, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Christine Wyns
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Gynaecology-Andrology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Universitat Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Kelton Tremellen
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Obstetrics Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Australia
| | - Selçuk Sarıkaya
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Galhane Research and Training Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Sheena Lewis
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Examen Lab Ltd., Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Donald P Evenson
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- SCSA Diagnostics, Brookings, SD, USA
| | - Edmund Ko
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Loma Linda University Health, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Aldo E Calogero
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Surgery, Urology Unit, Farwaniya Hospital, Farwaniya, Kuwait
| | - Fahmi Bahar
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Andrology Section, Siloam Sriwijaya Hospital, Palembang, Indonesia
| | - Marlon Martínez
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Section of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Santo Tomas Hospital, Manila, Philippines
| | - Rafael F Ambar
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Centro Universitario em Saude do ABC, Santo Andre, Brazil
- Andrology Group at Ideia Fertil Institute of Human Reproduction, Santo Andre, Brazil
| | - Giovanni M Colpi
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Andrology and IVF Center, Next Fertility Procrea, Lugano, Switzerland
| | | | - Ralf Henkel
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Department of Medical Bioscience, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa
| | - Hussein Kandil
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Fakih IVF Fertility Center, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Ege Can Serefoglu
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Biruni University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Abdullah Alfakhri
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Akira Tsujimura
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Juntendo University Urayasu Hospital, Chiba, Japan
| | - Alireza Kheradmand
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Golestan Hospital, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Angelo Marino
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Reproductive Medicine Unit, ANDROS Day Surgery Clinic, Reproductive Medicine Unit, Palermo, Italy
| | - Aram Adamyan
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- IVF Department, Astghik Medical Center, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Birute Zilaitiene
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Institute of Endocrinology, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Cevahir Ozer
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Edoardo Pescatori
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Andrology and Reproductive Medicine Unit, Gynepro Medical, Bologna, Italy
| | - Paraskevi Vogiatzi
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Andromed Health & Reproduction, Fertility & Reproductive Health Diagnostic Center, Athens, Greece
| | - Gian Maria Busetto
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology and Renal Transplantation, University of Foggia, Policlinico Riuniti, Foggia, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Balercia
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Endocrinology, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - Haitham Elbardisi
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Urology, Weill Cornell Medical-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Urology, College of Medicine, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Hamed Akhavizadegan
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Sina Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hesamoddin Sajadi
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Andrology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hisanori Taniguchi
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology and Andrology, Kansai Medical University, Hirakata, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hyun Jun Park
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea
- Medical Research Institute of Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Korea
| | - Israel Maldonado Rosas
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- IVF Laboratory, CITMER Reproductive Medicine, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Mohamed Al-Marhoon
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
| | - Mohammad Ali Sadighi Gilani
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Andrology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Naif Alhathal
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nguyen Quang
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Center for Andrology and Sexual Medicine, Viet Duc University Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam
- Department of Urology, Andrology and Sexual Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Germar-Michael Pinggera
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Priyank Kothari
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Topiwala National Medical College, B.Y.L Nair Ch Hospital, Mumbai, India
| | - Sava Micic
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Andrology, Uromedica Polyclinic, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Sheryl Homa
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Tran Quang Tien Long
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hanoi Obstetric and Gynecology Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Wael Zohdy
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Andrology and STDs, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Widi Atmoko
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Wael Ibrahim
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Taylor's University, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Marjan Sabbaghian
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Andrology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Saad Mohammed Abumelha
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Eric Chung
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, University of Queensland, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane QLD, Australia
| | - Muhammet Rasit Ugur
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- IVF Michigan, Bloomfield Hills, MI, USA
| | - Mehmet Serkan Ozkent
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Konya City Hospital, Konya, Turkey
| | - Osama Selim
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Andrology and STDs, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mahsa Darbandi
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Fetal Health Research Center, Hope Generation Foundation, Tehran, Iran
- Gene Therapy and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Hope Generation Foundation, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shinichiro Fukuhara
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Mounir Jamali
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Mohammed V Military Hospital, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Jean de la Rosette
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Shinnosuke Kuroda
- Department of Urology, Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Ryan P Smith
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Aykut Baser
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Bandirma Onyedi Eylül University, Balikesir, Turkey
| | - Arif Kalkanli
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Taksim Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Nicholas N Tadros
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Division of Urology, Southern Illinois University, Springfield, IL, USA
| | - Kaan Aydos
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Tiago Cesar Mierzwa
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Androlab, Fertility Clinic, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Kareim Khalafalla
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Urology, University of Texas McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Urology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Vineet Malhotra
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, SCM Clinic and Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Mohamad Moussa
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon
- Department of Urology, Al Zahraa Hospital, UMC, Lebanon
| | - Federica Finocchi
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Endocrinology, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - Rinaldo Indra Rachman
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Carlo Giulioni
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Endocrinology, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - Tomer Avidor-Reiss
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Oguzhan Kahraman
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Andrology and Reproductive Medicine Unit, Gynepro Medical, Bologna, Italy
| | - Gökhan Çeker
- Department of Urology, Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Cătălina Zenoaga-Barbăroșie
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Trenton L Barrett
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Perth Urology Clinic, Murdoch, WA, Australia
| | - Mehmet Yilmaz
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Asklepios Klinik Triberg, Urology, Triberg, Germany
| | - Ates Kadioglu
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Section of Andrology, Department of Urology, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Sunil Jindal
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, Jindal Hospital, Meerut, India
| | - Huda Omran
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Molecular Genetics Department, Pulse Health Training Center, Manama, Bahrain
| | - Kadir Bocu
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Silopi State Hospital, Sirnak, Turkey
| | | | - Giorgio Franco
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Jesús Fernando Solorzano
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- IVF Laboratory, CITMER Reproductive Medicine, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Ranjit B Vishwakarma
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Division of Andrology, Department of Urology, Lilavati Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai, India
| | - Eko Arianto
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Surgery, Prof. Dr. R.D. Kandou Central General Hospital, Manado, Indonesia
| | - Nicolas Garrido
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- IVIRMA Global Research Alliance, IVI Foundation, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), Valencia, Spain
| | - Divyanu Jain
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jaipur Golden Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Nazim Gherabi
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Algiers 1, Algiers, Algeria
| | - Ioannis Sokolakis
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- 2nd Department of Urology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Ayad Palani
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Research Centre, University of Garmian, Kalar, Iraq
| | - Gokhan Calik
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Deniz Kulaksiz
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Health Sciences Kanuni Training and Research Hospital, Trabzon, Turkey
| | - Vaida Simanaviciene
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Fertility Centre, Northway Medical Centre, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Mara Simopoulou
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Nur Dokuzeylül Güngör
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Endocrinology and IVF Unit, School of Medicine, Bahcesehir University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Gideon Blecher
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Surgery, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Marco Falcone
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Molinette Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | - Davor Jezek
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Reproductive Tissue Bank, Department for Transfusion Medicine and Transplantation Biology, University Hospital Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Mirko Preto
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Molinette Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | - Edouard Amar
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- American Hospital of Paris, Paris, France
| | - Tan V Le
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Andrology, Binh Dan Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Department of Urology and Andrology, Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Sun Tae Ahn
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Andri Rezano
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Sumedang, West Java, Indonesia
| | - Keerti Singh
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Preclinical and Health Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, St Michael, Barbados, Italy
| | - Lucia Rocco
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Caserta, Italy
| | - Missy Savira
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Osvaldo Rajmil
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Andrology, Fundacio Puigvert, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sara Darbandi
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Fetal Health Research Center, Hope Generation Foundation, Tehran, Iran
- Gene Therapy and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Hope Generation Foundation, Tehran, Iran
| | - Emrullah Sogutdelen
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University, Bolu, Turkey
| | - Luca Boeri
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, IRCCS Fondazione Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Guadalupe Hernández
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- IVF Department, CITMER Reproductive Medicine, Puebla, Mexico
| | - Lukman Hakim
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga Teaching Hospital, Surabaya, Indonesia
| | - Yoshiharu Morimoto
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, HORAC Grand Front Osaka Clinic, Osaka, Japan
| | - Andrian Japari
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Fertility Clinic, Telogorejo Hospital, Central Java, Indonesia
| | - Nikolaos Sofikitis
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Ioannina University School of Medicine, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Baris Altay
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Asli Metin Mahmutoglu
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Departmant of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medical, Yozgat Bozok University, Yozgat, Turkey
| | - Manaf Al Hashimi
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Burjeel Hospital, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Imad Ziouziou
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, University Hospital of Souss Massa, Massa, Morocco
| | - Christina Anagnostopoulou
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Unit of Reproductive Medicine, EmbryoART, Leto Maternity Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Haocheng Lin
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Department of Urology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Rupin Shah
- Global Andrology Forum, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Division of Andrology, Department of Urology, Lilavati Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai, India
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21
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Alahmar AT. The Effect of Selenium Therapy on Semen Parameters, Antioxidant Capacity, and Sperm DNA Fragmentation in Men with Idiopathic Oligoasthenoteratospermia. Biol Trace Elem Res 2023; 201:5671-5676. [PMID: 36959435 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-023-03638-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023]
Abstract
Idiopathic male infertility (IMI) remains challenging as the etiology of semen abnormalities is still unidentified. Sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) has been suggested as a potential mechanism. Oral antioxidants including selenium have been tried for IMI with variable results. This study was undertaken to explore the effect of selenium therapy on semen parameters, antioxidant capacity, and SDF in infertile patients with idiopathic oligoasthenoteratospermia (OAT). Sixty-five infertile men with idiopathic OAT and fifty fertile controls were included in this prospective clinical study. Patients received selenium (200 μg/day) orally for 6 months. Seminal fluid parameters (WHO 5th criteria), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), catalase (CAT), and seminal SDF levels were assessed for all participants at the start of the study and after 6 months. Sperm concentration (P < 0.001), progressive motility (P < 0.001), and total motility (P < 0.01) significantly increased in patients after selenium therapy. Seminal TAC and CAT increased in patients post-therapy as compared to baseline values (P < 0.01). SDF levels significantly decreased (P < 0.001) in patients following selenium treatment in comparison to baseline values. SDF levels also correlated negatively with sperm progressive motility (r = - 0.44, P = 0.003) and total motility (r = - 0.48, P = 0.001). In conclusion, selenium therapy (200 μg/day) for 6 months increases sperm concentration, motility, seminal antioxidant capacity, and reduces SDF in patients with idiopathic OAT. Thus, selenium could be a promising therapy for men with IMI and may boost their fertility and fertility treatment outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed T Alahmar
- Department of Medical Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Babylon, Hillah, Iraq.
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22
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Zheng Y, Wu YB, Jia YL, Ying LJ, Yang TT, Cheng QY, Qin J, Luo C, Yu L, Li FP. External quality assessment scheme for sperm DNA fragmentation: a pilot study in China. Basic Clin Androl 2023; 33:36. [PMID: 38012601 PMCID: PMC10683090 DOI: 10.1186/s12610-023-00211-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The aim of this article is to establish an external quality assessment (EQA) scheme for sperm Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fragmentation (SDF) detection, and to assess the feasibility of the scheme. In addition, this article provides some case analysis of abnormal results in order to really help improve the performance of the laboratory. RESULTS In 2021 and 2022, 10 and 28 laboratories in China volunteered to participate in the EQA program respectively. Two samples were selected for EQA each year, a large spread of results was obtained for the four samples, and the highest values were 13.7, 4.2, 8.0 and 4.0 times the lowest respectively. The coefficients of variation (CVs) were very high for the four samples, at 46.6%, 30.1%, 26.7% and 30.3%, respectively. The CVs of the samples with high SDF values were lower than those of the samples with low SDF values. There was no significant difference between the results of sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) and sperm chromatin dispersion (SCD). For the 10 laboratories that participated in EQA in 2021 and 2022, the CVs of low SDF value samples and high SDF value samples decreased from 46.6% and 30.1% in 2021 to 32.5% and 22.7% in 2022, respectively. CONCLUSION This is the first study to evaluate the EQA program on SDF, which involved a number of laboratories and was demonstrated to be feasible. It is recommended that all laboratories participate in the EQA of SDF to ensure the accuracy of the results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zheng
- Department of Andrology/Sichuan Human Sperm Bank, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, 610041, P.R. China
| | - Ying-Bi Wu
- Department of Andrology/Sichuan Human Sperm Bank, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, 610041, P.R. China
| | - Ye-Lin Jia
- Department of Andrology/Sichuan Human Sperm Bank, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, 610041, P.R. China
| | - Li-Juan Ying
- Department of Andrology/Sichuan Human Sperm Bank, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, 610041, P.R. China
| | - Ting-Ting Yang
- Department of Andrology/Sichuan Human Sperm Bank, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, 610041, P.R. China
| | - Qing-Yuan Cheng
- Department of Andrology/Sichuan Human Sperm Bank, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, 610041, P.R. China
| | - Jiao Qin
- Department of Andrology/Sichuan Human Sperm Bank, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, 610041, P.R. China
| | - Chen Luo
- Department of Andrology/Sichuan Human Sperm Bank, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, 610041, P.R. China
| | - Lin Yu
- Department of Andrology/Sichuan Human Sperm Bank, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, P.R. China.
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, 610041, P.R. China.
| | - Fu-Ping Li
- Department of Andrology/Sichuan Human Sperm Bank, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, P.R. China.
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, 610041, P.R. China.
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23
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Lundin K, Bentzen JG, Bozdag G, Ebner T, Harper J, Le Clef N, Moffett A, Norcross S, Polyzos NP, Rautakallio-Hokkanen S, Sfontouris I, Sermon K, Vermeulen N, Pinborg A. Good practice recommendations on add-ons in reproductive medicine†. Hum Reprod 2023; 38:2062-2104. [PMID: 37747409 PMCID: PMC10628516 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dead184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Which add-ons are safe and effective to be used in ART treatment? SUMMARY ANSWER Forty-two recommendations were formulated on the use of add-ons in the diagnosis of fertility problems, the IVF laboratory and clinical management of IVF treatment. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY The innovative nature of ART combined with the extremely high motivation of the patients has opened the door to the wide application of what has become known as 'add-ons' in reproductive medicine. These supplementary options are available to patients in addition to standard fertility procedures, typically incurring an additional cost. A diverse array of supplementary options is made available, encompassing tests, drugs, equipment, complementary or alternative therapies, laboratory procedures, and surgical interventions. These options share the common aim of stating to enhance pregnancy or live birth rates, mitigate the risk of miscarriage, or expedite the time to achieving pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION ESHRE aimed to develop clinically relevant and evidence-based recommendations focusing on the safety and efficacy of add-ons currently used in fertility procedures in order to improve the quality of care for patients with infertility. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS ESHRE appointed a European multidisciplinary working group consisting of practising clinicians, embryologists, and researchers who have demonstrated leadership and expertise in the care and research of infertility. Patient representatives were included in the working group. To ensure that the guidelines are evidence-based, the literature identified from a systematic search was reviewed and critically appraised. In the absence of any clear scientific evidence, recommendations were based on the professional experience and consensus of the working group. The guidelines are thus based on the best available evidence and expert agreement. Prior to publication, the guidelines were reviewed by 46 independent international reviewers. A total of 272 comments were received and incorporated where relevant. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE The multidisciplinary working group formulated 42 recommendations in three sections; diagnosis and diagnostic tests, laboratory tests and interventions, and clinical management. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Of the 42 recommendations, none could be based on high-quality evidence and only four could be based on moderate-quality evidence, implicating that 95% of the recommendations are supported only by low-quality randomized controlled trials, observational data, professional experience, or consensus of the development group. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS These guidelines offer valuable direction for healthcare professionals who are responsible for the care of patients undergoing ART treatment for infertility. Their purpose is to promote safe and effective ART treatment, enabling patients to make informed decisions based on realistic expectations. The guidelines aim to ensure that patients are fully informed about the various treatment options available to them and the likelihood of any additional treatment or test to improve the chance of achieving a live birth. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) All costs relating to the development process were covered from ESHRE funds. There was no external funding of the development process or manuscript production. K.L. reports speakers fees from Merck and was part of a research study by Vitrolife (unpaid). T.E. reports consulting fees from Gynemed, speakers fees from Gynemed and is part of the scientific advisory board of Hamilton Thorne. N.P.P. reports grants from Merck Serono, Ferring Pharmaceutical, Theramex, Gedeon Richter, Organon, Roche, IBSA and Besins Healthcare, speakers fees from Merck Serono, Ferring Pharmaceutical, Theramex, Gedeon Richter, Organon, Roche, IBSA and Besins Healthcare. S.R.H. declares being managing director of Fertility Europe, a not-for-profit organization receiving financial support from ESHRE. I.S. is a scientific advisor for and has stock options from Alife Health, is co-founder of IVFvision LTD (unpaid) and received speakers' fee from the 2023 ART Young Leader Prestige workshop in China. A.P. reports grants from Gedeon Richter, Ferring Pharmaceuticals and Merck A/S, consulting fees from Preglem, Novo Nordisk, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Gedeon Richter, Cryos and Merck A/S, speakers fees from Gedeon Richter, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Merck A/S, Theramex and Organon, travel fees from Gedeon Richter. The other authors disclosed no conflicts of interest. DISCLAIMER This Good Practice Recommendations (GPRs) document represents the views of ESHRE, which are the result of consensus between the relevant ESHRE stakeholders and are based on the scientific evidence available at the time of preparation.ESHRE GPRs should be used for information and educational purposes. They should not be interpreted as setting a standard of care or bedeemedinclusive of all proper methods of care, or be exclusive of other methods of care reasonably directed to obtaining the same results.Theydo not replace the need for application of clinical judgement to each individual presentation, or variations based on locality and facility type.Furthermore, ESHRE GPRs do not constitute or imply the endorsement, or favouring, of any of the included technologies by ESHRE.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - K Lundin
- Department Reproductive Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - J G Bentzen
- The Fertility Department, Rigshospitalet Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - G Bozdag
- Department Obstetrics and Gynecology, Koc University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - T Ebner
- Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics, and Gynecological Endocrinology, Kepler University, MedCampus IV, Linz, Austria
| | - J Harper
- Institute for Women’s Health, London, UK
| | - N Le Clef
- European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, Brussels, Belgium
| | - A Moffett
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - N P Polyzos
- Department Reproductive Medicine, Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | - K Sermon
- Research Group Reproduction and Genetics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - N Vermeulen
- European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, Brussels, Belgium
| | - A Pinborg
- The Fertility Department, Rigshospitalet Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Gallagher MT, Krasauskaite I, Kirkman-Brown JC. Only the Best of the Bunch-Sperm Preparation Is Not Just about Numbers. Semin Reprod Med 2023; 41:273-278. [PMID: 38113923 DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1777756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
In this Seminar, we present an overview of the current and emerging methods and technologies for optimizing the man and the sperm sample for fertility treatment. We argue that sperms are the secret to success, and that there are many avenues for improving both treatment and basic understanding of their role in outcomes. These outcomes encompass not just whether treatment is successful or not, but the wider intergenerational health of the offspring. We discuss outstanding challenges and opportunities of new technologies such as microfluidics and artificial intelligence, including potential pitfalls and advantages. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the importance of sperm in fertility treatment and suggests future directions for research and innovation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meurig T Gallagher
- Centre for Human Reproductive Science, Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham and Birmingham Women's Fertility Centre, Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom
- Centre for Systems Modelling and Quantitative Biomedicine, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Ingrida Krasauskaite
- Centre for Human Reproductive Science, Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham and Birmingham Women's Fertility Centre, Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Jackson C Kirkman-Brown
- Centre for Human Reproductive Science, Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham and Birmingham Women's Fertility Centre, Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom
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25
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Braga DPAF, Setti A, Morishima C, Provenza RR, Iaconelli A, Borges E. The effect of sperm DNA fragmentation on ICSI outcomes depending on oocyte quality. Andrology 2023; 11:1682-1693. [PMID: 37004191 DOI: 10.1111/andr.13435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sperm deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fragmentation is commonly encountered in spermatozoa, and the oocyte assumes responsibility for repairing sperm DNA fragmentation during the oocyte-embryo transition. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to investigate whether the effect of sperm DNA fragmentation on intracytoplasmic sperm injection outcomes depends on the incidence of oocyte dimorphisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS For the present cohort, 2942 fertilized oocytes from 525 patients submitted to intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles were assessed. The present study was conducted in a private in vitro fertilization center affiliated to a university from June 2016 to July 2019. Semen samples were divided into the following two groups depending on the sperm DNA fragmentation index: a low fragmentation index group (<30% sperm DNA fragmentation, n = 1468) and a high fragmentation index group (≥30% sperm DNA fragmentation, n = 486). In addition, mature oocytes were examined before sperm injection, and intracytoplasmic and extracytoplasmic defects were recorded. The effect of the sperm DNA fragmentation index on laboratory and clinical intracytoplasmic sperm injection outcomes (depending on the presence of oocyte defects) was evaluated. RESULTS Significant increases in the rates of fertilization, high-quality embryo, implantation, and pregnancy were noted for cycles with <30% sperm DNA fragmentation than cycles with ≥30% sperm DNA fragmentation (regardless of the presence of oocyte dimorphisms). The presence of dimorphisms significantly impacted laboratory and clinical outcomes. The lowest fertilization and high-quality embryo rates were observed when a high sperm DNA fragmentation index was associated with the presence of dark cytoplasm, vacuoles, resistant membrane, and non-resistant membrane. The lowest implantation and pregnancy rates were observed when a high sperm DNA fragmentation index was associated with the presence of vacuoles, defective perivitelline space, and fragmented polar body. The effect of sperm DNA fragmentation on miscarriage rates was significantly influenced by the presence of centrally located cytoplasmic granulation, a defective perivitelline space and non-resistant membrane. CONCLUSION A high sperm DNA fragmentation index increases the likelihood of miscarriage in intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles, an effect that may potentially be magnified by the presence of oocyte dysmorphisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Christina Morishima
- Instituto Sapientiae-Centro de Estudos e Pesquisa em Reprodução Assistida, Sao Paulo, Brazil
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26
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Nielsen JLM, Majzoub A, Esteves S, Humaidan P. Unraveling the Impact of Sperm DNA Fragmentation on Reproductive Outcomes. Semin Reprod Med 2023; 41:241-257. [PMID: 38092034 DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1777324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in identifying subcellular causes of male infertility, and sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) research has been at the forefront of this focus. DNA damage can occur during spermatogenesis due to faulty chromatin compaction or excessive abortive apoptosis. It can also happen as sperm transit through the genital tract, often induced by oxidative stress. There are several methods for SDF testing, with the sperm chromatin structure assay, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase d-UTI nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, comet assay, and sperm chromatin dispersion test being the most commonly used. Numerous studies strongly support the negative impact of SDF on male fertility potential. DNA damage has been linked to various morphological and functional sperm abnormalities, ultimately affecting natural conception and assisted reproductive technology outcomes. This evidence-based review aims to explore how SDF influences male reproduction and provide insights into available therapeutic options to minimize its detrimental impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanett L M Nielsen
- The Fertility Clinic, Skive Regional Hospital, Skive, Denmark
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Viborg Regional Hospital, Viborg, Denmark
| | - Ahmad Majzoub
- Department of Urology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Clinical Urology, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
| | - Sandro Esteves
- ANDROFERT, Andrology and Human Reproduction Clinic, Campinas, Brazil
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Faculty of Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Peter Humaidan
- The Fertility Clinic, Skive Regional Hospital, Skive, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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27
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Faix A, Methorst C, Lamazou F, Vialard F, Huyghe E. [Assessment of the man in the infertile couple]. Prog Urol 2023; 33:588-612. [PMID: 38012906 DOI: 10.1016/j.purol.2023.09.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Among couples consulting for infertility, there is a male component, either alone or associated with a female aetiology in around one in 2 cases. MATERIAL AND METHODS Bibliographic search in PubMed using the keywords "male infertility", "diagnosis", "management" and "evaluation" limited to clinical articles in English and French prior to 1/01/2023. RESULTS The AFU recommends: (1) a complete medical history including: family history, patient history affecting fertility, lifestyle habits (toxicity), treatments, symptoms, sexual dysfunctions; (2) a physical examination including: BMI, signs of hypogonadism, secondary sexual characteristics, scrotal examination (volume and consistency of testes, vas deferens, epididymal or testicular nodules, presence of varicocele); (3) two spermograms, if abnormal on the first; (4) a systematic scrotal ultrasound,± an endorectal ultrasound depending on the clinic; (5) a hormonal work-up (testosterone, FSH; if testosterone is low: LH assay to differentiate between central or peripheral hypogonadism); (6) karyotype if sperm concentration≤10 million/mL; (7) evaluation of Y chromosome microdeletions if concentration≤1 million/mL; (8) evaluation of the CFTR gene in cases of suspected bilateral or unilateral agenesis of the vas deferens and seminal vesicles. The role and usefulness of direct and indirect tests to assess the effects of oxidative stress on sperm DNA will also be explained. CONCLUSION This review complements and updates the AFU/SALF 2021 recommendations.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Faix
- Clinique Saint-Roch, 560, avenue du Colonel-Pavelet-dit-Villars, 34000 Montpellier, France
| | - C Methorst
- Service de médecine de la reproduction, hôpital des 4-villes, Saint-Cloud, France
| | - F Lamazou
- Clinique Pierre-Cherest, Paris, France
| | - F Vialard
- Service de génétique, CHU de Poissy Saint-Germain, UVSQ, Poissy, France
| | - E Huyghe
- Département d'urologie, hôpital de Rangueil, CHU de Toulouse, Toulouse, France; Service de médecine de la reproduction, hôpital Paule-de-Viguier, CHU de Toulouse, Toulouse, France; UMR DEFE, Inserm 1203, université de Toulouse, université de Montpellier, Toulouse, France.
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28
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Karavani G, Juvet TSJ, Lau S, Lajkosz K, Mullen B, Lo KC, Grober ED, Akroof B, Kattan MS, Jarvi K. Improved sperm DNA fragmentation levels in infertile men following very short abstinence of 3-4 hours. Transl Androl Urol 2023; 12:1487-1496. [PMID: 37969774 PMCID: PMC10643391 DOI: 10.21037/tau-23-216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Limited data exists on possible approaches to improve sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) when no identifiable cause is found. The effect of short abstinence on sperm parameters has been extensively studied, but rarely reported on the effect on DFI in infertile men. In this study, we aimed to determine whether a second ejaculate provided after very short abstinence demonstrates lower DFI rates in infertile men. Methods This prospective cohort study was conducted at Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Canada, a tertiary university affiliated hospital. All men having DFI testing in addition to the standard semen analysis were identified via a prospectively collected database. Infertile men were instructed to provide two semen samples 3-4 hours apart (the first sample was given after 2-5 days of abstinence) to test the effect on DFI levels. Data analysis was performed for the comparison of the change in sperm parameters and DFI between samples and between men with DFI above and under 30%. Results A total of 52 men provided double ejaculates 3-4 hours apart. In the entire group, DFI decreased from 38.9%±21.4% to 35.1%±21.6% in the second sample (P<0.001). Semen volume was lower on the second sample (2.3±1.4 vs. 1.5±0.9 mL, P<0.001), while the remaining parameters did not change. Forty out of 52 patients (76.9%) had improved DFI (average of 6.0±4.0 percentage points). Change in DFI varied with 22/52 (42.3%) and 7/52 (13.5%) of patients found to have decreases in DFI >5% and >10% in the second ejaculate, respectively. For men with DFI of 30-40%, 64% (7/11) of DFIs reduced to the under 30% range. First DFI value was the only parameter associated with DFI decrease to under 30% in multivariate models [odds ratio (OR), 0.62; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.39-0.98; P=0.04]. Conclusions This study identified significant improvements in DFI in infertile men providing a second sample after 3-4 hours. Controlled trials are needed to determine if reproductive outcomes are improved using a second ejaculate for infertile men with high initial sperm DFI values.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilad Karavani
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Susan Lau
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Katherine Lajkosz
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Biostatistics, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Brendan Mullen
- Department of Pathology, Mount Sinai Hospital and New Women’s College Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Kirk C. Lo
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ethan D. Grober
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Bader Akroof
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mohamed S. Kattan
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Keith Jarvi
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Kaltsas A, Dimitriadis F, Zachariou D, Zikopoulos A, Symeonidis EN, Markou E, Tien DMB, Takenaka A, Sofikitis N, Zachariou A. From Diagnosis to Treatment: Comprehensive Care by Reproductive Urologists in Assisted Reproductive Technology. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2023; 59:1835. [PMID: 37893553 PMCID: PMC10608107 DOI: 10.3390/medicina59101835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
Infertility is a global health concern, with male factors playing an especially large role. Unfortunately, however, the contributions made by reproductive urologists in managing male infertility under assisted reproductive technology (ART) often go undervalued. This narrative review highlights the important role played by reproductive urologists in diagnosing and treating male infertility as well as any barriers they face when providing services. This manuscript presents a comprehensive review of reproductive urologists' role in managing male infertility, outlining their expertise in diagnosing and managing male infertility as well as reversible causes and performing surgical techniques such as sperm retrieval. This manuscript investigates the barriers limiting urologist involvement such as limited availability, awareness among healthcare professionals, and financial constraints. This study highlights a decrease in male fertility due to lifestyle factors like sedentary behavior, obesity, and substance abuse. It stresses the significance of conducting an evaluation process involving both male and female partners to identify any underlying factors contributing to infertility and to identify patients who do not require any interventions beyond ART. We conclude that engaging urologists more effectively in infertility management is key to optimizing fertility outcomes among couples undergoing assisted reproductive technology treatments and requires greater education among healthcare providers regarding the role urologists and lifestyle factors that could have an effect on male fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aris Kaltsas
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece; (A.K.); (A.Z.); (N.S.)
| | - Fotios Dimitriadis
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (F.D.); (E.N.S.)
| | - Dimitrios Zachariou
- Third Orthopaedic Department, National and Kapodestrian University of Athens, KAT General Hospital, 14561 Athens, Greece;
| | - Athanasios Zikopoulos
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece; (A.K.); (A.Z.); (N.S.)
| | - Evangelos N. Symeonidis
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (F.D.); (E.N.S.)
| | - Eleftheria Markou
- Department of Microbiology, University Hospital of Ioannina, 45500 Ioannina, Greece;
| | - Dung Mai Ba Tien
- Department of Andrology, Binh Dan Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City 70000, Vietnam;
| | - Atsushi Takenaka
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago 683-8503, Japan;
| | - Nikolaos Sofikitis
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece; (A.K.); (A.Z.); (N.S.)
| | - Athanasios Zachariou
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece; (A.K.); (A.Z.); (N.S.)
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Ghuman NK, Shukla KK, Nandagopal S, Raikar S, Kumar S, Kathuria P, Choudhary D, Elhence P, Singh P. Explaining the Unexplained: Examining the Predictive Value of Semen Parameters, Sperm DNA Fragmentation and Metal Levels in Unexplained Infertility. J Hum Reprod Sci 2023; 16:317-323. [PMID: 38322633 PMCID: PMC10841936 DOI: 10.4103/jhrs.jhrs_140_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Background There is ongoing research to find an optimum modality to predict male fertility potential. Aims To compare the semen parameters, sperm DNA damage and seminal metal levels of Zinc, Lead and Aluminium among the male partners of couples with unexplained infertility and men with proven fertility. Settings and Design Prospective case-control study at a tertiary level teaching hospital. Materials and Methods One hundred male partners of couples with unexplained subfertility and 50 men with proven fertility were included in the study. Male partners of unexplained infertility couples and fertile men were compared for their semen parameters, sperm DNA Fragmentation Index (DFI) and seminal metal levels in semen. Statistical Analysis Used Chi-square test, Student's t-test, sensitivity and specificity analysis, binomial logistic regression analysis. Results Fertile men had statistically significantly higher mean progressive sperm motility than male partners of unexplained infertility (53.12 ± 9.89% vs. 44.81 ± 19.47%, P = 0.005). Semen volume and sperm concentration were comparable among the cases and control population. The mean sperm DFI was significantly lower among fertile men (10.83 ± 6.28 vs. 21.38 ± 10.28, P < 0.0001). Plotting the receiver-operating characteristic curve the threshold for discrimination was calculated to be 18% DFI. The sensitivity specificity and overall accuracy were 43%, 84% and 56.67%, respectively when the DFI cut-off was set at 18%. Zinc concentration in the semen had a strong positive correlation (Point Biserial correlation coefficient = 0.831) with fertility, whereas lead and aluminium had a moderate negative correlation. Conclusion Conventional semen analysis had limited differentiating ability for unexplained infertility. The sperm DFI may be employed for explanatory purposes among couples with unexplained subfertility. A lower discriminatory threshold of DFI (18%) has better overall accuracy as opposed to a 30% cutpoint for unexplained subfertility. Among metals, Zinc was strongly correlated with fertility status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navdeep Kaur Ghuman
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Kamla Kant Shukla
- Department of Trauma and Emergency, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Srividhya Nandagopal
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Sunil Raikar
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Shailendra Kumar
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Priyanka Kathuria
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Dinesh Choudhary
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Poonam Elhence
- Department of Pathology and Lab Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Pratibha Singh
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
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31
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Farkouh A, Agarwal A, Hamoda TAAAM, Kavoussi P, Saleh R, Zini A, Arafa M, Harraz AM, Gul M, Karthikeyan VS, Durairajanayagam D, Rambhatla A, Boitrelle F, Chung E, Birowo P, Toprak T, Ghayda RA, Cannarella R, Phuoc NHV, Dimitriadis F, Russo GI, Sokolakis I, Mostafa T, Makarounis K, Ziouziou I, Kuroda S, Bendayan M, Kaiyal RS, Japari A, Simopoulou M, Rocco L, Garrido N, Gherabi N, Bocu K, Kahraman O, Le TV, Wyns C, Tremellen K, Sarikaya S, Lewis S, Evenson DP, Ko E, Calogero AE, Bahar F, Martinez M, Crafa A, Nguyen Q, Ambar RF, Colpi G, Bakircioglu ME, Henkel R, Kandil H, Serefoglu EC, Alarbid A, Tsujimura A, Kheradmand A, Anagnostopoulou C, Marino A, Adamyan A, Zilaitiene B, Ozer C, Pescatori E, Vogiatzi P, Busetto GM, Balercia G, Elbardisi H, Akhavizadegan H, Sajadi H, Taniguchi H, Park HJ, Maldonado Rosas I, Al-Marhoon M, Sadighi Gilani MA, Alhathal N, Pinggera GM, Kothari P, Mogharabian N, Micic S, Homa S, Darbandi S, Long TQT, Zohdy W, Atmoko W, Sabbaghian M, Ibrahim W, Smith RP, Ho CCK, de la Rosette J, El-Sakka AI, Preto M, Zenoaga-Barbăroșie C, Abumelha SM, Baser A, Aydos K, Ramirez-Dominguez L, Kumar V, Ong TA, Mierzwa TC, Adriansjah R, Banihani SA, Bowa K, Fukuhara S, Rodriguez Peña M, Moussa M, Ari UÇ, Cho CL, Tadros NN, Ugur MR, Amar E, Falcone M, Santer FR, Kalkanli A, Karna KK, Khalafalla K, Vishwakarma RB, Finocchi F, Giulioni C, Ceyhan E, Çeker G, Yazbeck C, Rajmil O, Yilmaz M, Altay B, Barrett TL, Ngoo KS, Roychoudhury S, Salvio G, Lin H, Kadioglu A, Timpano M, Avidor-Reiss T, Hakim L, Sindhwani P, Franco G, Singh R, Giacone F, Ruzaev M, Kosgi R, Sofikitis N, Palani A, Calik G, Kulaksız D, Jezek D, Al Hashmi M, Drakopoulos P, Omran H, Leonardi S, Celik-Ozenci C, Güngör ND, Ramsay J, Amano T, Sogutdelen E, Duarsa GWK, Chiba K, Jindal S, Savira M, Boeri L, Borges E, Gupte D, Gokalp F, Hebrard GH, Minhas S, Shah R. Controversy and Consensus on the Management of Elevated Sperm DNA Fragmentation in Male Infertility: A Global Survey, Current Guidelines, and Expert Recommendations. World J Mens Health 2023; 41:809-847. [PMID: 37118965 PMCID: PMC10523126 DOI: 10.5534/wjmh.230008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) has been associated with male infertility and poor outcomes of assisted reproductive technology (ART). The purpose of this study was to investigate global practices related to the management of elevated SDF in infertile men, summarize the relevant professional society recommendations, and provide expert recommendations for managing this condition. MATERIALS AND METHODS An online global survey on clinical practices related to SDF was disseminated to reproductive clinicians, according to the CHERRIES checklist criteria. Management protocols for various conditions associated with SDF were captured and compared to the relevant recommendations in professional society guidelines and the appropriate available evidence. Expert recommendations and consensus on the management of infertile men with elevated SDF were then formulated and adapted using the Delphi method. RESULTS A total of 436 experts from 55 different countries submitted responses. As an initial approach, 79.1% of reproductive experts recommend lifestyle modifications for infertile men with elevated SDF, and 76.9% prescribe empiric antioxidants. Regarding antioxidant duration, 39.3% recommend 4-6 months and 38.1% recommend 3 months. For men with unexplained or idiopathic infertility, and couples experiencing recurrent miscarriages associated with elevated SDF, most respondents refer to ART 6 months after failure of conservative and empiric medical management. Infertile men with clinical varicocele, normal conventional semen parameters, and elevated SDF are offered varicocele repair immediately after diagnosis by 31.4%, and after failure of antioxidants and conservative measures by 40.9%. Sperm selection techniques and testicular sperm extraction are also management options for couples undergoing ART. For most questions, heterogenous practices were demonstrated. CONCLUSIONS This paper presents the results of a large global survey on the management of infertile men with elevated SDF and reveals a lack of consensus among clinicians. Furthermore, it demonstrates the scarcity of professional society guidelines in this regard and attempts to highlight the relevant evidence. Expert recommendations are proposed to help guide clinicians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ala’a Farkouh
- Global Andrology Forum, American Center for Reproductive Medicine, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
| | - Ashok Agarwal
- Global Andrology Forum, American Center for Reproductive Medicine, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Taha Abo-Almagd Abdel-Meguid Hamoda
- Department of Urology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, Minia, Egypt
| | - Parviz Kavoussi
- Department of Reproductive Urology, Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine/Westlake IVF, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Ramadan Saleh
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Andrology, Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt
- Ajyal IVF Center, Ajyal Hospital, Sohag, Egypt
| | - Armand Zini
- Department of Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Mohamed Arafa
- Department of Urology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Andrology, Sexology & STIs, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
- Department of Urology, Weill Cornell Medical-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
| | - Ahmed M. Harraz
- Urology Department, Urology and Nephrology Center, Mansoura University, Mansura, Egypt
- Department of Surgery, Urology Unit, Farwaniya Hospital, Farwaniya, Kuwait
- Department of Urology, Sabah Al Ahmad Urology Center, Kuwait City, Kuwait
| | - Murat Gul
- Department of Urology, Selçuk University School of Medicine, Konya, Turkey
| | | | - Damayanthi Durairajanayagam
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh Campus, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Amarnath Rambhatla
- Department of Urology, Henry Ford Health System, Vattikuti Urology Institute, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Florence Boitrelle
- Reproductive Biology, Fertility Preservation, Andrology, CECOS, Poissy Hospital, Poissy, France
- Department of Biology, Reproduction, Epigenetics, Environment and Development, Paris Saclay University, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Eric Chung
- Department of Urology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Ponco Birowo
- Department of Urology, Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Tuncay Toprak
- Department of Urology, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ramy Abou Ghayda
- Urology Institute, University Hospitals, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Rossella Cannarella
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
- Department of Urology, Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Nguyen Ho Vinh Phuoc
- Department of Andrology, Binh Dan Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Department of Urology and Andrology, Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Fotios Dimitriadis
- Department of Urology, Aristotle University, School of Medicine, Thessaloniki,
| | | | - Ioannis Sokolakis
- Department of Urology, Aristotle University, School of Medicine, Thessaloniki,
| | - Taymour Mostafa
- Department of Andrology, Sexology & STIs, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | | | - Imad Ziouziou
- Department of Urology, College of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco
| | - Shinnosuke Kuroda
- Department of Urology, Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Marion Bendayan
- Reproductive Biology, Fertility Preservation, Andrology, CECOS, Poissy Hospital, Poissy, France
| | - Raneen Sawaid Kaiyal
- Department of Urology, Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Andrian Japari
- Fertility Clinic, Telogorejo Hospital, Semarang, Indonesia
| | - Mara Simopoulou
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Lucia Rocco
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Caserta, Italy
| | - Nicolas Garrido
- IVI Foundation, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), Valencia, Spain
| | - Nazim Gherabi
- Department of Urology, University of Algiers, Algiers, Algeria
| | - Kadir Bocu
- Department of Urology, Silopi State Hospital, Sirnak, Turkey
| | - Oguzhan Kahraman
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Tan V. Le
- Department of Andrology, Binh Dan Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Department of Urology and Andrology, Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Christine Wyns
- Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Kelton Tremellen
- Department of Obstetrics Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine, Flinders University, South Australia, Australia
| | - Selcuk Sarikaya
- Department of Urology, Gülhane Research and Training Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey
| | | | | | - Edmund Ko
- Department of Urology, Loma Linda University Health, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Aldo E. Calogero
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Fahmi Bahar
- Andrology Section, Siloam Sriwijaya Hospital, Palembang, Indonesia
| | - Marlon Martinez
- Section of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Santo Tomas Hospital, Manila, Philippines
| | - Andrea Crafa
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Quang Nguyen
- Center for Andrology and Sexual Medicine, Viet Duc University Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam
- Department of Urology, Andrology and Sexual Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Rafael F. Ambar
- Department of Urology, Centro Universitario em Saude do ABC, Santo André, Brazil
- Andrology Group at Ideia Fertil Institute of Human Reproduction, Santo André, Brazil
| | - Giovanni Colpi
- Andrology and IVF Center, Next Fertility Procrea, Lugano, Switzerland
| | | | - Ralf Henkel
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Department of Medical Bioscience, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa
| | | | - Ege Can Serefoglu
- Department of Urology, Biruni University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Abdullah Alarbid
- Department of Surgery, Urology Unit, Farwaniya Hospital, Farwaniya, Kuwait
| | - Akira Tsujimura
- Department of Urology, Juntendo University Urayasu Hospital, Chiba, Japan
| | - Alireza Kheradmand
- Urology Department, Golestan Hospital, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | | | - Angelo Marino
- ANDROS Day Surgery Clinic, Reproductive Medicine Unit, Palermo, Italy
| | - Aram Adamyan
- IVF Department, Astghik Medical Center, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Birute Zilaitiene
- Institute of Endocrinology, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Cevahir Ozer
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Edoardo Pescatori
- Andrology and Reproductive Medicine Unit, Gynepro Medical, Bologna, Italy
| | - Paraskevi Vogiatzi
- Andromed Health & Reproduction, Fertility & Reproductive Health Diagnostic Center, Athens, Greece
| | - Gian Maria Busetto
- Department of Urology and Renal Transplantation, University of Foggia, Policlinico Riuniti, Foggia, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Balercia
- Department of Endocrinology, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - Haitham Elbardisi
- Department of Urology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Andrology, Sexology & STIs, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Hamed Akhavizadegan
- Department of Urology, Sina Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hesamoddin Sajadi
- Department of Andrology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Teheran, Iran
| | - Hisanori Taniguchi
- Department of Urology and Andrology, Kansai Medical University, Hirakata, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hyun Jun Park
- Department of Urology, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea
- Medical Research Institute of Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Korea
| | | | - Mohamed Al-Marhoon
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
| | - Mohammad Ali Sadighi Gilani
- Department of Andrology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Teheran, Iran
| | - Naif Alhathal
- King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Priyank Kothari
- Department of Urology, Topiwala National Medical College, B.Y.L Nair Ch Hospital, Mumbai, India
| | - Nasser Mogharabian
- Sexual Health and Fertility Research Center, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran
| | - Sava Micic
- Department of Andrology, Uromedica Polyclinic, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Sheryl Homa
- Department of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Sara Darbandi
- Fetal Health Research Center, Hope Generation Foundation, Tehran, Iran
- Gene Therapy and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Hope Generation Foundation, Tehran, Iran
| | - Tran Quang Tien Long
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hanoi Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Wael Zohdy
- Department of Andrology, Sexology & STIs, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Widi Atmoko
- Department of Urology, Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Marjan Sabbaghian
- Department of Andrology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Teheran, Iran
| | - Wael Ibrahim
- Department of Obstetrics Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine, Fertility Care Center in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ryan P. Smith
- Department of Urology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Virginia, USA
| | | | | | | | - Mirko Preto
- Department of Urology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Saad Mohammed Abumelha
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Aykut Baser
- Department of Urology, Bandirma Onyedi Eylül University, Balikesir, Turkey
| | - Kaan Aydos
- Department of Urology, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | | | - Vijay Kumar
- Department of Microbiology, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, India
| | - Teng Aik Ong
- Department of Surgery, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | | | - Ricky Adriansjah
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine of Padjadjaran University, Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, Bandung, Indonesia
| | - Saleem A. Banihani
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Kasonde Bowa
- Department of Urology, University of Lusaka, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Shinichiro Fukuhara
- Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | | | - Mohamad Moussa
- Department of Urology, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon
- Department of Urology, Al Zahraa Hospital, UMC, Lebanon
| | - Umut Çağın Ari
- Department of Reproduction, Kafkas University, Kars, Turkey
| | - Chak-Lam Cho
- S. H. Ho Urology Centre, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | | | | | | | - Marco Falcone
- Department of Urology, Molinette Hospital, A.O.U. Città della Salute e della Scienza, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | | | - Arif Kalkanli
- Department of Urology, Taksim Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Keshab Kumar Karna
- Department of Molecular Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Kareim Khalafalla
- Department of Urology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
- Urology Department, University of Texas McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX, USA
- Urology Department, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ranjit B. Vishwakarma
- Division of Andrology, Department of Urology, Lilavati Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai, India
| | - Federica Finocchi
- Department of Endocrinology, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - Carlo Giulioni
- Department of Urology, Polytechnic University of Marche Region, Ancona, Italy
| | - Erman Ceyhan
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Gökhan Çeker
- Department of Urology, Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Chadi Yazbeck
- Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Reprogynes Medical Institute, Paris, France
| | - Osvaldo Rajmil
- Department of Andrology, Fundacio Puigvert, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mehmet Yilmaz
- Asklepios Clinic Triberg, Urology, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Baris Altay
- Department of Urology, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
| | | | - Kay Seong Ngoo
- Hospital Angkatan Tentera Tuanku Mizan, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | | | - Gianmaria Salvio
- Department of Endocrinology, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - Haocheng Lin
- Department of Urology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Ates Kadioglu
- Section of Andrology, Department of Urology, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Massimiliano Timpano
- Department of Urology, Molinette Hospital, A.O.U. Città della Salute e della Scienza, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | - Tomer Avidor-Reiss
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
- Department of Urology and Transplantation, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Lukman Hakim
- Department of Urology, Universitas Airlangga, Rumah Sakit Universitas Airlangga Teaching Hospital, Surabaya, Indonesia
| | - Puneet Sindhwani
- Department of Urology, Universitas Airlangga, Rumah Sakit Universitas Airlangga Teaching Hospital, Surabaya, Indonesia
| | - Giorgio Franco
- Department of Urology, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Rajender Singh
- Division of Endocrinology, Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, India
| | - Filippo Giacone
- Centro HERA, Unità di Medicina della Riproduzione, Sant’Agata Li Battiati, Catania, Italy
| | | | - Raghavender Kosgi
- Department of Urology, Andrology and Renal Transplant, AIG Hospitals, Hyderabad, India
| | - Nikolaos Sofikitis
- Department of Urology, Ioannina University School of Medicine, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Ayad Palani
- Research Centre, University of Garmian, Kalar, Iraq
| | - Gokhan Calik
- Department of Urology, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Deniz Kulaksız
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Health Sciences Kanuni Training and Research Hospital, Trabzon, Turkey
| | - Davor Jezek
- Department for Transfusion Medicine and Transplantation Biology, Reproductive Tissue Bank, University Hospital Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Manaf Al Hashmi
- Department of Urology, Burjeel Hospital, Abu Dhabi, UAE
- Department of Urology, College of Medicine and Health Science, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Panagiotis Drakopoulos
- Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- IVF Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Huda Omran
- Al Aljenan Medical Center, Pulse Health Training Center, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain
| | - Sofia Leonardi
- Central Laboratory, Hospital Público Materno Infantil de Salta, Salta, Argentina
| | - Ciler Celik-Ozenci
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Nur Dokuzeylül Güngör
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Endocrinology and IVF Unit, School of Medicine, Bahcesehir University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | | | - Toshiyasu Amano
- Department of Urology, Nagano Red Cross Hospital, Nagano, Japan
| | | | | | - Koji Chiba
- Department of Urology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan
| | - Sunil Jindal
- Department of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, Jindal Hospital, Meerut, India
| | - Missy Savira
- Department of Urology, Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Luca Boeri
- Department of Urology, IRCCS Fondazione Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Edson Borges
- Fertility Assisted Fertilization Center, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Deepak Gupte
- Department of Urology, Bombay Hospital and Medical Research Center, Mumbai, India
| | - Fatih Gokalp
- Department of Urology, Hatay Mustafa Kemal University, Antakya, Turkey
| | | | - Suks Minhas
- Division of Surgery, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Rupin Shah
- Division of Andrology, Department of Urology, Lilavati Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai, India
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Cannarella R, Marino M, Condorelli RA, La Vignera S, Calogero AE. Is It Time for Andrology and Endocrinology Professionals in Assisted Reproduction Centers? World J Mens Health 2023; 41:796-808. [PMID: 37118957 PMCID: PMC10523123 DOI: 10.5534/wjmh.220253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Epidemiologists indicate that about half of the couple's infertility cases are due to a male factor. Despite this, the role of andrologists or endocrinologists in assisted reproductive technique (ART) centers is still underestimated. According to our literature review, this reduces the chance of a thorough clinical evaluation of the male partners, which, sometimes consists only in a mere semen analysis, usually performed by laboratory technicians. A more complete diagnostic process could lead to the identification of potentially treatable causes of infertility, the recognition of diseases that require immediate treatment, and to the discovery of genetic diseases and, therefore, transmissible to the offspring. It can also increase the success rate of ART resulting in less psychological and financial burden for both public health resources and infertile couples. The presence of medical personnel with andrological and endocrinological skills in the ART centers represents the first step in creating 'precision medicine'. We hope that the guidelines of the various scientific societies will clearly contemplate this possibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rossella Cannarella
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Marta Marino
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Rosita A Condorelli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Sandro La Vignera
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Aldo E Calogero
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
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Jiang Y, Shen Z, Xu J, Zhu J, Wang H, Chen W, Sun Y, Yang Q. The impact of female BMI on sperm DNA damage repair ability of oocytes and early embryonic development potential in intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1168010. [PMID: 37780615 PMCID: PMC10534975 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1168010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Obesity adversely influences the quality of oocytes and embryos and can affect DNA repair in embryos, leading to reproductive issues. However, the effects of body mass index (BMI) on DNA repair ability in oocytes during intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles have not yet been investigated. Therefore, this retrospective study aimed to analyze the influence of sperm DNA damage on embryo development and reproductive outcomes in overweight/obese and normal-weight women in ICSI cycles. Methods A total of 1,141 patients who received the first fresh ICSI cycle treatments were recruited from July 2017 to July 2021. Based on the BMI of the women, all patients were divided into normal weight (18.5≤BMI<25 kg/m2; n=824; 72.22%) and overweight/obese (BMI≥25 kg/m2; n=317; 27.78%) groups. Furthermore, according to the sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI), these two groups were subdivided into two subgroups: DFI<30% and DFI≥30%. Results In the normal-weight women group, the embryonic development and reproductive outcomes of ICSI cycles were not statistically different between the two subgroups (DFI<30% and DFI≥30%). However, in the overweight/obese women group, couples with a sperm DFI≥30% had a significantly lower fertilization rate (76% vs. 72.7%; p=0.027), cleavage rate (98.7% vs. 97.2%; p=0.006), and high-quality embryo rate (67.8% vs. 62.6%; p=0.006) than couples with a sperm DFI<30%. Conclusion When injected sperm with high DFI into the oocytes of overweight/obese women, resulting in lower fertilization, cleavage, and high-quality embryo rates in ICSI cycles, and the decreased early developmental potential of embryos from overweight/obese patients may be caused by the diminished capacity of oocytes to repair sperm DNA damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqing Jiang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Provincial Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases (Reproductive Medicine) Clinical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zhaoyang Shen
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Provincial Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases (Reproductive Medicine) Clinical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jianmin Xu
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Provincial Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases (Reproductive Medicine) Clinical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jing Zhu
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Provincial Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases (Reproductive Medicine) Clinical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Huan Wang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Provincial Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases (Reproductive Medicine) Clinical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Wenhui Chen
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Provincial Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases (Reproductive Medicine) Clinical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yingpu Sun
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Provincial Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases (Reproductive Medicine) Clinical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Qingling Yang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Provincial Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases (Reproductive Medicine) Clinical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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Ping P, Liu Y, Zheng Z, Ma Y, Dong F, Chen X. Association of embryo aneuploidy and sperm DNA damage in unexplained recurrent implantation failure patients under NGS-based PGT-A cycles. Arch Gynecol Obstet 2023; 308:997-1005. [PMID: 37341853 DOI: 10.1007/s00404-023-07098-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Recurrent implantation failure (RIF) is one of the most common conditions affecting In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)/Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes. Aneuploidy embryos, one of the main types of embryos-related factors, was reported to be a major contributor to RIF. The present study aimed to examine the association between sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) and outcomes of next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) in unexplained RIF patients. METHODS This study analyzed 119 couples with unexplained RIF who underwent 119 PGT-A cycles between January, 2017 and March, 2022. The 119 males were divided into 3 groups according to their sperm DFI levels: Group1 (low, DFI ≤ 15%, n = 50), Group2 (medium, 15% < DFI < 30%, n = 41) and Group3 (high, DFI ≥ 30%, n = 28). Sperm DFI was measured by sperm chromatin structure analysis (SCSA) technique. Trophectoderm biopsy on day 5 or 6 were performed with NGS technique. The following outcomes of PGT-A were analyzed and compared: fertilization, good-quality embryos, aneuploidy rate, miscarriage, live birth and newborn defects. RESULTS The component of aneuploidy embryos was significantly higher in high DFI group (42.71%) than that of medium group (28.39%) and low group (27.80%). The miscarriage rate of high DFI group (27.27%) and medium group (14.29%) is significantly higher than that of low group (0.00%). No significant differences were found regarding fertility, good-quality embryo rate, pregnancy rate, live birth rate or newborn defects among three groups. CONCLUSION The sperm DNA damage is associated with blastocyst aneuploidy and miscarriage rate in unexplained RIF cases. Embryo selection by PGT-A and efforts to decrease sperm DFI before IVF/ICSI treatments should be considered for those male patients with high DFI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Ping
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200135, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive Genetics, Shanghai, 200135, China
| | - Yulin Liu
- Shanghai Ji Ai Genetic and IVF Institute, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Zhong Zheng
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200135, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive Genetics, Shanghai, 200135, China
| | - Yi Ma
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200135, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive Genetics, Shanghai, 200135, China
| | - Fan Dong
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200135, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive Genetics, Shanghai, 200135, China
| | - Xiangfeng Chen
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200135, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive Genetics, Shanghai, 200135, China.
- Shanghai Human Sperm Bank, Shanghai, 200135, China.
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Akbari H, Elyasi L, Khaleghi AA, Mohammadi M. The effect of zinc supplementation on improving sperm parameters in infertile diabetic men. J Obstet Gynaecol India 2023; 73:316-321. [PMID: 37701089 PMCID: PMC10492728 DOI: 10.1007/s13224-023-01767-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and aims Diabetes mellitus (DM) may have different adverse effects on the male reproductive system. Zinc (Zn) is one of the necessary elements in the human and mammalian diet that plays an important role in scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) by providing antioxidant and anti-apoptotic properties. The aim of this study was to determine the protective effects of zinc supplements on sperm chromatin and the evaluation of sperm deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) integrity in diabetic men. Methods In this interventional study, 43 infertile Iranian men in diabetic and non-diabetic groups were included. They were then randomly divided into two subgroups: normal saline intake and zinc sulfate intake (25 mg orally for 64 days each). Different indices of sperm analysis (number, morphology and motility) and testosterone levels were evaluated in four groups. Protamine deficiency and DNA fragmentation were assessed using chromomycin A3 (CMA3) and sperm chromatin dispersion (SCD) methods, respectively. Results Zinc supplementation reduced the deformity of neck and head of sperms (p < 0.05), as well as deformity of sperm tail in infertile diabetic men. Zinc administration ameliorated sperm motility types A, B and C (p < 0.05). Moreover, zinc administration reduced abnormal morphology and DNA fragmentation of sperms, which increased the SCD1 and SCD2 and reduced the SCD3 and SCD4 in both treated groups. Conclusion Zinc supplementation, as a powerful complement, is able to balance the effect of diabetes on sperm parameters, sperm chromatin and DNA integrity. Consequently, zinc supplementation can probably be considered a supportive compound in the diet of diabetic infertile men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hakimeh Akbari
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Gerash University of Medical Sciences, Gerash, Iran
| | - Leila Elyasi
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Ali Asghar Khaleghi
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Gerash University of Medical Sciences, Gerash, Iran
| | - Masoud Mohammadi
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Gerash University of Medical Sciences, Gerash, Iran
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Tong Y, Sun Q, Shao X, Wang Z. Effect of vaginal microbiota on pregnancy outcomes of women from Northern China who conceived after IVF. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1200002. [PMID: 37547323 PMCID: PMC10400330 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1200002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective This study aimed to investigate the correlation between vaginal microbiota and pregnancy outcomes of women who achieved pregnancy via in vitro fertilization (IVF) in Northern China, and to determine a biomarker for evaluation of the risk of preterm births in these women. Methods In total, 19 women from Northern China women who conceived after IVF and 6 women who conceived naturally were recruited in this study. The vaginal samples of the healthy participants were collected throughout pregnancy, that is, during the first, second, and third trimesters. The V3-V4 region of 16S rRNA was used to analyze the vaginal microbiome, and the bioinformatic analysis was performed using QIIME Alpha and Beta diversity analysis. Results Either IVF group or Natural conception group, bacterial community diversities and total species number of vagnal samples from who delivered at term were significantly higher than those who delivered before term. Low abundance of vaginal bacteria indicates an increased risk of preterm delivery. Further, more abundant vaginal bacteria was found in first trimesters instead of the next two trimesters. Vignal samples collected during first trimester showed richer differences and more predictive value for pregnancy outcoes. In addition, the diversity of the vaginal bacterial community decreased as the gestational age increased, in all samples. Alloscardovia was only found in participants who conceived after IVF, and the percentage of Alloscardovia in viginal samples of normal delivery group is much higher than the samples from preterm delivery group.Vobrio specifically colonized in vagina of pregnant woman in AFT group (those who conceived after IVF (A), first trimester (F), and delivered at term (T)) and Sporosarcina was detected only in women with AFT and AST (those who conceived after IVF (A), second trimester (S), and delivered at term (T)). These data indicates that Alloscardovia, Vobrio and Sporosarcina have great potential in predicting pregnancy outcomes who pregnanted by vitro fertilization. Conclusions Vaginal microbiota were more stable in women who conceived naturally and those who carried pregnancy to term. Oceanobacillus might act as a positive biomarker, whereas Sulfurospirillum and Propionispira may act as negative biomarkers for the risk of preterm birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Tong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dalian Municipal Women and Children’s Medical Group, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Qiang Sun
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dalian Municipal Women and Children’s Medical Group, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Xiaoguang Shao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dalian Municipal Women and Children’s Medical Group, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Zhijian Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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Chatzimeletiou K, Fleva A, Nikolopoulos TT, Markopoulou M, Zervakakou G, Papanikolaou K, Anifandis G, Gianakou A, Grimbizis G. Evaluation of Sperm DNA Fragmentation Using Two Different Methods: TUNEL via Fluorescence Microscopy, and Flow Cytometry. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2023; 59:1313. [PMID: 37512124 PMCID: PMC10384605 DOI: 10.3390/medicina59071313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Sperm DNA fragmentation refers to any break in one or both of the strands of DNA in the head of a sperm. The most widely used methodologies for assessing sperm DNA fragmentation are the sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA), the sperm chromatin dispersion assay (SCD), the single-cell gel electrophoresis assay (SCGE-comet), and the terminal-deoxynucleotidyl-transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) assay. The aim of this study was to compare the efficiency and sensitivity of the analysis of sperm DNA fragmentation using TUNEL via fluorescence microscopy, and flow cytometry. Materials and Methods: Semen samples were collected and analyzed for standard characteristics using light microscopy, and for sperm DNA fragmentation using both TUNEL via fluorescence microscopy, and flow cytometry. Results: There were no significant differences in the values of the sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) obtained when the analysis was performed using TUNEL or flow cytometry (p = 0.543). Spearman's correlation analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between sperm motility (%) and sperm DNA fragmentation (p < 0.01), as well as between sperm concentration and sperm DNA fragmentation (p < 0.05). The Mann-Whitney U test showed no significant difference in the DFI among couples with repeated implantation failure (RIF) and miscarriages (p = 0.352). Conclusions: Both methods (TUNEL via fluorescence microscopy, and flow cytometry) have a high efficiency and sensitivity in accurately detecting sperm DNA fragmentation, and can be effectively used to assess male fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katerina Chatzimeletiou
- Unit for Human Reproduction, 1st Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 'Papageorgiou' General Hospital, Aristotle University Medical School, 56403 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Alexandra Fleva
- Department of Immunology and Histocompatibility, 'Papageorgiou' General Hospital, 56403 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Theodoros-Thomas Nikolopoulos
- Unit for Human Reproduction, 1st Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 'Papageorgiou' General Hospital, Aristotle University Medical School, 56403 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Maria Markopoulou
- Department of Immunology and Histocompatibility, 'Papageorgiou' General Hospital, 56403 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | | | | | - George Anifandis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, 41200 Larisa, Greece
| | - Anastasia Gianakou
- Department of Immunology and Histocompatibility, 'Papageorgiou' General Hospital, 56403 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Grigoris Grimbizis
- Unit for Human Reproduction, 1st Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 'Papageorgiou' General Hospital, Aristotle University Medical School, 56403 Thessaloniki, Greece
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Montgomery K, Montgomery S, Campbell A, Nash DM. A comparison of the morphokinetic profiles of embryos developed from vitrified versus fresh oocytes. Reprod Biomed Online 2023; 47:51-60. [PMID: 37188558 DOI: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2023.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
RESEARCH QUESTION Do morphokinetic profiles and treatment outcomes differ between embryos developed from vitrified or fresh oocytes? DESIGN Retrospective multicentre analysis using data from eight CARE Fertility clinics across the UK between 2012 and 2019. Patients receiving treatment using embryos developed from vitrified oocytes (n = 118 women, n = 748 oocytes), providing 557 zygotes during this time period, were recruited and matched with patients undergoing treatment with embryos developed from fresh oocytes (n = 123 women, n = 1110 oocytes), providing 539 zygotes in the same time frame. Time-lapse microscopy was used to assess morphokinetic profiles, including early cleavage divisions (2- through to 8-cell), post-cleavage stages including time to start of compaction, time to morula, time to start of blastulation and time to full blastocyst. Duration of key stages such as the compaction stage were also calculated. Treatment outcomes were compared between the two groups (live birth rate, clinical pregnancy rate and implantation rate). RESULTS A significant delay of 2-3 h across all early cleavage divisions (2- through to 8-cell) and time to start of compaction occurred in the vitrified group versus fresh controls (all P ≤ 0.01). The compaction stage was significantly shorter in vitrified oocytes (19.02 ± 0.5 h) compared with fresh controls (22.45 ± 0.6 h, P < 0.001). There was no difference in the time that fresh and vitrified embryos reached the blastocyst stage (108.03 ± 0.7 versus 107.78 ± 0.6 h). There was no significant difference in treatment outcomes between the two groups. CONCLUSION Vitrification is a useful technique for extending female fertility with no effects on IVF treatment outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn Montgomery
- Department of Life Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Penglais, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, UK
| | - Susan Montgomery
- CARE Fertility Manchester, 108-112 Daisy Bank Road, Victoria Park, Manchester, UK
| | - Alison Campbell
- CARE Fertility Manchester, 108-112 Daisy Bank Road, Victoria Park, Manchester, UK.
| | - Deborah Mary Nash
- Department of Life Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Penglais, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, UK
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Agarwal A, Farkouh A, Saleh R, Abdel-Meguid Hamoda TAA, Harraz AM, Kavoussi P, Arafa M, Salvio G, Rambhatla A, Toprak T, Gül M, Phuoc NHV, Boitrelle F, Birowo P, Ghayda RA, Cannarella R, Kuroda S, Durairajanayagam D, Zini A, Wyns C, Sarikaya S, Tremellen K, Mostafa T, Sokolakis I, Evenson DP, Henkel R, Zohdy W, Chung E, Ziouziou I, Falcone M, Russo GI, Al-Hashimi M, Calogero AE, Ko E, Colpi G, Lewis S, Serefoglu EC, Bahar F, Martinez M, Nguyen Q, Ambar RF, Bakircioglu ME, Kandil H, Mogharabian N, Sabbaghian M, Taniguchi H, Tsujimura A, Sajadi H, Ibrahim W, Atmoko W, Vogiatzi P, Gunes S, Gilani MAS, Roychoudhury S, Güngör ND, Hakim L, Adriansjah R, Kothari P, Jindal S, Amar E, Park HJ, Long TQT, Homa S, Karthikeyan VS, Zilaitiene B, Rosas IM, Marino A, Pescatori E, Ozer C, Akhavizadegan H, Garrido N, Busetto GM, Adamyan A, Al-Marhoon M, Elbardisi H, Dolati P, Darbandi M, Darbandi S, Balercia G, Pinggera GM, Micic S, Ho CCK, Moussa M, Preto M, Zenoaga-Barbăroşie C, Smith RP, Kosgi R, de la Rosette J, El-Sakka AI, Abumelha SM, Mierzwa TC, Ong TA, Banihani SA, Bowa K, Fukuhara S, Boeri L, Danacıoğlu YO, Gokalp F, Selim OM, Cho CL, Tadros NN, Ugur MR, Ozkent MS, Chiu P, Kalkanli A, Khalafalla K, Vishwakarma RB, Finocchi F, Andreadakis S, Giulioni C, Çeker G, Ceyhan E, Malhotra V, Yilmaz M, Timpano M, Barrett TL, Kim SHK, Ahn ST, Giacone F, Palani A, Duarsa GWK, Kadioglu A, Gadda F, Zylbersztejn DS, Aydos K, Kulaksız D, Gupte D, Calik G, Karna KK, Drakopoulos P, Baser A, Kumar V, Molina JMC, Rajmil O, Ferreira RH, Leonardi S, Avoyan A, Sogutdelen E, Franco G, Ramsay J, Ramirez L, Shah R. Controversy and Consensus on Indications for Sperm DNA Fragmentation Testing in Male Infertility: A Global Survey, Current Guidelines, and Expert Recommendations. World J Mens Health 2023; 41:575-602. [PMID: 37118960 PMCID: PMC10307662 DOI: 10.5534/wjmh.220282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) testing was recently added to the sixth edition of the World Health Organization laboratory manual for the examination and processing of human semen. Many conditions and risk factors have been associated with elevated SDF; therefore, it is important to identify the population of infertile men who might benefit from this test. The purpose of this study was to investigate global practices related to indications for SDF testing, compare the relevant professional society guideline recommendations, and provide expert recommendations. MATERIALS AND METHODS Clinicians managing male infertility were invited to take part in a global online survey on SDF clinical practices. This was conducted following the CHERRIES checklist criteria. The responses were compared to professional society guideline recommendations related to SDF and the appropriate available evidence. Expert recommendations on indications for SDF testing were then formulated, and the Delphi method was used to reach consensus. RESULTS The survey was completed by 436 experts from 55 countries. Almost 75% of respondents test for SDF in all or some men with unexplained or idiopathic infertility, 39% order it routinely in the work-up of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL), and 62.2% investigate SDF in smokers. While 47% of reproductive urologists test SDF to support the decision for varicocele repair surgery when conventional semen parameters are normal, significantly fewer general urologists (23%; p=0.008) do the same. Nearly 70% would assess SDF before assisted reproductive technologies (ART), either always or for certain conditions. Recurrent ART failure is a common indication for SDF testing. Very few society recommendations were found regarding SDF testing. CONCLUSIONS This article presents the largest global survey on the indications for SDF testing in infertile men, and demonstrates diverse practices. Furthermore, it highlights the paucity of professional society guideline recommendations. Expert recommendations are proposed to help guide clinicians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashok Agarwal
- Global Andrology Forum, American Center for Reproductive Medicine, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
- Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Ala’a Farkouh
- Global Andrology Forum, American Center for Reproductive Medicine, Moreland Hills, OH, USA
| | - Ramadan Saleh
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Andrology, Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt
| | - Taha Abo-Almagd Abdel-Meguid Hamoda
- Department of Urology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, Minia, Egypt
| | - Ahmed M. Harraz
- Urology and Nephrology Center, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
- Department of Surgery, Urology Unit, Farwaniya Hospital, Farwaniya, Kuwait
- Department of Urology, Sabah Al Ahmad Urology Center, Kuwait City, Kuwait
| | - Parviz Kavoussi
- Department of Reproductive Urology, Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine/Westlake IVF, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Mohamed Arafa
- Department of Urology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Urology, Weill Cornell Medical-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Andrology, Sexology and STIs, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Gianmaria Salvio
- Department of Endocrinology, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - Amarnath Rambhatla
- Department of Urology, Henry Ford Health System, Vattikuti Urology Institute, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Tuncay Toprak
- Department of Urology, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Murat Gül
- Department of Urology, Selçuk University School of Medicine, Konya, Turkey
| | - Nguyen Ho Vinh Phuoc
- Department of Andrology, Binh Dan Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Department of Urology and Andrology, Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Florence Boitrelle
- Reproductive Biology, Fertility Preservation, Andrology, CECOS, Poissy Hospital, Poissy, France
- Department of Biology, Reproduction, Epigenetics, Environment and Development, Paris Saclay University, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Ponco Birowo
- Department of Urology, Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Ramy Abou Ghayda
- Urology Institute, University Hospitals, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Rossella Cannarella
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | | | - Damayanthi Durairajanayagam
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh Campus, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Armand Zini
- Department of Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Christine Wyns
- Department of Gynaecology-Andrology, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Selcuk Sarikaya
- Department of Urology, Gülhane Research and Training Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Kelton Tremellen
- Department of Obstetrics Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Australia
| | - Taymour Mostafa
- Department of Andrology, Sexology and STIs, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ioannis Sokolakis
- Department of Urology, Martha-Maria Hospital Nuremberg, Nuremberg, Germany
| | | | - Ralf Henkel
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Department of Medical Bioscience, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa
- LogixX Pharma, Theale, Berkshire, UK
| | - Wael Zohdy
- Department of Andrology, Sexology and STIs, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Eric Chung
- Department of Urology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Imad Ziouziou
- Department of Urology, College of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco
| | - Marco Falcone
- Department of Urology, Molinette Hospital, A.O.U. Città della Salute e della Scienza, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | | | - Manaf Al-Hashimi
- Department of Urology, Burjeel Hospital, Abu Dhabi, UAE
- Department of Urology, Clinical Urology, Khalifa University, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Aldo E. Calogero
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Edmund Ko
- Department of Urology, Loma Linda University Health, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Giovanni Colpi
- Andrology and IVF Center, Next Fertility Procrea, Lugano, Switzerland
| | | | - Ege Can Serefoglu
- Department of Urology, Biruni University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Fahmi Bahar
- Andrology Section, Siloam Sriwijaya Hospital, Palembang, Indonesia
| | - Marlon Martinez
- Section of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Santo Tomas Hospital, Manila, Philippines
| | - Quang Nguyen
- Center for Andrology and Sexual Medicine, Viet Duc University Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam
- Department of Urology, Andrology and Sexual Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Rafael F. Ambar
- Department of Urology, Centro Universitario em Saude do ABC, Santo André, Brazil
- Andrology Group at Ideia Fertil Institute of Human Reproduction, Santo André, Brazil
| | | | | | - Nasser Mogharabian
- Sexual Health and Fertility Research Center, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran
| | - Marjan Sabbaghian
- Department of Andrology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hisanori Taniguchi
- Department of Urology and Andrology, Kansai Medical University, Hirakata, Osaka, Japan
| | - Akira Tsujimura
- Department of Urology, Juntendo University Urayasu Hospital, Chiba, Japan
| | - Hesamoddin Sajadi
- Department of Andrology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Wael Ibrahim
- Department of Obstetrics Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine, Fertility Care Center in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Widi Atmoko
- Department of Urology, Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Paraskevi Vogiatzi
- Andromed Health & Reproduction, Fertility & Reproductive Health Diagnostic Center, Athens, Greece
| | - Sezgin Gunes
- Department of Medical Biology, Medical Faculty, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey
| | - Mohammad Ali Sadighi Gilani
- Department of Andrology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Nur Dokuzeylül Güngör
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Endocrinology and IVF Unit, School of Medicine, Bahcesehir University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Lukman Hakim
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Airlangga, Universitas Airlangga Teaching Hospital, Surabaya, Indonesia
| | - Ricky Adriansjah
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Padjajaran, Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, Bandung, Indonesia
| | - Priyank Kothari
- Department of Urology, Topiwala National Medical College, B.Y.L Nair Ch Hospital, Mumbai, India
| | - Sunil Jindal
- Department of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, Jindal Hospital, Meerut, India
| | - Edouard Amar
- Department of Urology, American Hospital of Paris, Paris, France
| | - Hyun Jun Park
- Department of Urology, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea
- Medical Research Institute of Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Korea
| | - Tran Quang Tien Long
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hanoi Obstetric and Gynecology Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Sheryl Homa
- Department of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | | | - Birute Zilaitiene
- Institute of Endocrinology, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | | | - Angelo Marino
- Reproductive Medicine Unit, ANDROS Day Surgery Clinic, Palermo, Italy
| | - Edoardo Pescatori
- Andrology and Reproductive Medicine Unit, Gynepro Medical, Bologna, Italy
| | - Cevahir Ozer
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Hamed Akhavizadegan
- Department of Urology, Sina Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nicolas Garrido
- IVI Foundation, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), Valencia, Spain
| | - Gian Maria Busetto
- Department of Urology and Renal Transplantation, University of Foggia, Policlinico Riuniti, Foggia, Italy
| | - Aram Adamyan
- IVF Department, Astghik Medical Center, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Mohamed Al-Marhoon
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
| | - Haitham Elbardisi
- Department of Urology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Urology, Weill Cornell Medical-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
| | - Parisa Dolati
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mahsa Darbandi
- Fetal Health Research Center, Hope Generation Foundation, Tehran, Iran
- Gene Therapy and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Hope Generation Foundation, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sara Darbandi
- Fetal Health Research Center, Hope Generation Foundation, Tehran, Iran
- Gene Therapy and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Hope Generation Foundation, Tehran, Iran
| | - Giancarlo Balercia
- Department of Endocrinology, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | | | - Sava Micic
- Department of Andrology, Uromedica Polyclinic, Belgrade, Serbia
| | | | - Mohamad Moussa
- Department of Urology, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon
- Department of Urology, Al Zahraa Hospital, UMC, Lebanon
| | - Mirko Preto
- Department of Urology, Molinette Hospital, A.O.U. Città della Salute e della Scienza, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | | | - Ryan P. Smith
- Department of Urology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Virginia, USA
| | - Raghavender Kosgi
- Department of Urology, Andrology and Renal Transplant, AIG Hospitals, Hyderabad, India
| | - Jean de la Rosette
- Department of Urology, Istanbul Medipol Mega University Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | | | - Saad Mohammed Abumelha
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Teng Aik Ong
- Department of Surgery, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Saleem A. Banihani
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Kasonde Bowa
- Department of Urology, University of Lusaka, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Shinichiro Fukuhara
- Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Luca Boeri
- Department of Urology, IRCCS Fondazione Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Yavuz Onur Danacıoğlu
- Department of Urology, University of Health Science Istanbul Bakırköy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Fatih Gokalp
- Department of Urology, Hatay Mustafa Kemal University, Antakya, Turkey
| | - Osama Mohamed Selim
- Department of Andrology, Sexology and STIs, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Chak-Lam Cho
- S. H. Ho Urology Centre, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | | | | | | | - Peter Chiu
- S. H. Ho Urology Centre, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Arif Kalkanli
- Department of Urology, Taksim Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Kareim Khalafalla
- Department of Urology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Urology, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Federica Finocchi
- Department of Endocrinology, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
- Unit of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | | | - Carlo Giulioni
- Department of Urology, Polytechnic University of Marche Region, Ancona, Italy
| | - Gökhan Çeker
- Department of Urology, Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
- Department of Embryology and Histology, Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University Institute of Health Sciences, Zonguldak, Turkey
| | - Erman Ceyhan
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Vineet Malhotra
- Department of Urology, SCM Clinic and Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Mehmet Yilmaz
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg-Medical Centre, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Massimiliano Timpano
- Department of Urology, Molinette Hospital, A.O.U. Città della Salute e della Scienza, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | | | - Shannon Hee Kyung Kim
- IVF Australia, Sydney, Australia
- Macquarie School of Medicine, Macquaire University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Sun-Tae Ahn
- Department of Urology, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Filippo Giacone
- Centro HERA, Unità di Medicina della Riproduzione, Sant'Agata Li Battiati, Catania, Italy
| | - Ayad Palani
- Research Centre, University of Garmian, Kalar, Iraq
| | | | - Ates Kadioglu
- Section of Andrology, Department of Urology, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Franco Gadda
- Department of Urology, IRCCS Fondazione Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Kaan Aydos
- Department of Urology, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Deniz Kulaksız
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Health Sciences Kanuni Training and Research Hospital, Trabzon, Turkey
| | - Deepak Gupte
- Department of Urology, Bombay Hospital and Medical Research Center, Mumbai, India
| | - Gokhan Calik
- Department of Urology, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Keshab Kumar Karna
- Department of Molecular Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Panagiotis Drakopoulos
- Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- IVF Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Aykut Baser
- Department of Urology, Bandirma Onyedi Eylül University, Balikesir, Turkey
| | - Vijay Kumar
- Department of Microbiology, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, India
| | | | - Osvaldo Rajmil
- Department of Andrology, Fundacio Puigvert, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Sofia Leonardi
- Central Laboratory, Hospital Publico Materno Infantil de Salta, Salta, Argentina
| | - Armen Avoyan
- Urology Department, Astghik Medical Center, Yerevan, Armenia
| | | | - Giorgio Franco
- Department of Urology, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Liliana Ramirez
- IVF Laboratory, CITMER Reproductive Medicine, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Rupin Shah
- Department of Urology, Lilavati Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai, India
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Ceraolo C, Rubano A, Gabrielsen JS. Obesity and Male Infertility: True, True, and Unrelated? Semin Reprod Med 2023; 41:70-79. [PMID: 38198791 DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1777725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
While the prevalence of obesity has rapidly increased worldwide, there has also been a notable decline in semen parameters over the last several decades. While obesity can negatively impact reproductive hormones, many studies have sought a link between rising obesity and decreased male fertility potential. Nonetheless, few data support a direct link between the two. The focus on obesity as a causative factor in male infertility can potentially result in patient harm through delayed fertility treatment and missed diagnoses. This review investigates the associations between obesity and male infertility and why a potential direct link has been elusive and may not exist. Additionally, indirect mechanisms that may link the two will be reviewed and treatment options for obese infertile men presenting for evaluation will briefly be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl Ceraolo
- Department of Urology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York
| | - Amanda Rubano
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York
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Bolton VN, Perez MJ, Hughes G, Moodley T, Dean M, Fernandez-Ponce A, Southall-Brown G, Kasraie J. The use of ICSI in ART: evidence for practice. HUM FERTIL 2023; 26:414-432. [PMID: 37609991 DOI: 10.1080/14647273.2023.2243071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
This article reviews the evidence regarding the safety and efficacy of intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). It provides evidence-based clinical and laboratory guidelines and recommendations for use of ICSI within an assisted reproductive technology (ART) service. The guidelines address the evidence for the use of ICSI rather than conventional IVF (cIVF); the use of ART techniques supplementary to ICSI; and risks associated with ICSI. This article is not intended to be the only approved standard of practice or to dictate an exclusive course of treatment. Other plans of management may be appropriate, taking into account the needs and medical history of the patient, available resources, and institutional or clinical practice limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - George Hughes
- Assisted Conception Unit, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, UK
| | - Therishnee Moodley
- The Centre for Reproductive Medicine, St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London, UK
| | - Morven Dean
- Assisted Conception Unit, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, UK
| | | | | | - Jason Kasraie
- University of Chester and University Centre Shrewsbury, Chester, UK
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Chua SC, Yovich SJ, Hinchliffe PM, Yovich JL. The Sperm DNA Fragmentation Assay with SDF Level Less Than 15% Provides a Useful Prediction for Clinical Pregnancy and Live Birth for Women Aged under 40 Years. J Pers Med 2023; 13:1079. [PMID: 37511693 PMCID: PMC10381567 DOI: 10.3390/jpm13071079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
This retrospective cohort study was conducted on 1148 males who presented along with their partners for infertility management at the PIVET Medical Centre between 2013 and 2022 and had a sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) assay performed by Halosperm, thereafter participating in 1600 assisted reproductive technology (ART) cycles utilising one of three modalities, namely, IVF-Only, ICSI-Only or IVF-ICSI Split cycles. The outcomes from the ART cycles were then analysed as two groups based on SDF levels <15% and ≥15%. The study showed the unadjusted fertilization rates were not different between the groups, neither across the four female age ranges. However, when the fertilization rates were adjusted for the mature oocytes (metaphase-II oocytes), there was a highly significant difference in fertilization rates in favour of the group with SDF levels < 15% where the women were in the younger age grouping of <35 years (78.4% vs. 73.0%; p < 0.0001). Overall, there was no difference in the rates of blastocyst development nor clinical pregnancy rates between the two SDF groups, but there was a significantly higher pregnancy rate for the younger women (<35 years) with the group of SDF level < 15% (44.1% vs. 37.4%; p = 0.04). Similarly, there was no difference in the miscarriage rates overall with respect to SDF groups, and no clear picture could be deciphered among the women's age groups. With respect to cumulative live births, this reflected the pregnancy rates with no overall difference between the two SDF groups, but there was a significantly higher cumulative live birth rate for women <35 years where the SDF level was <15% (38.6% vs. 28.6%; p < 0.01). Among the three modalities, the highest cumulative live birth rate occurred within the group with SDF level < 15%, being highest with the IVF mode, particularly for women aged <40 years (43.0% vs. 37.7% for IVF-ICSI Split and 27.9% for ICSI; p = 0.0002), noting that the IVF case numbers were disproportionately low.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiao Chuan Chua
- PIVET Medical Centre, Perth, WA 6007, Australia
- Hospital Shah Alam, Shah Alam 40000, Malaysia
| | | | | | - John Lui Yovich
- PIVET Medical Centre, Perth, WA 6007, Australia
- Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6102, Australia
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Broussard AL, Leader B, Tirado E, Russell H, Beydoun H, Colver R, Reuter L, Bopp B, Will M, Anspach Will E, Adaniya G. Sperm deoxyribonucleic acid fragmentation index at the time of intracytoplasmic sperm injection and standard in vitro fertilization is correlated with lower fertilization but not with blastocyst genetic diagnosis. F S Rep 2023; 4:183-189. [PMID: 37398612 PMCID: PMC10310935 DOI: 10.1016/j.xfre.2023.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective To determine the effects of sperm deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fragmentation at the time of fertilization on in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes and genetic diagnosis using next generation sequencing. Design Prospective double-blinded study. Setting Private Clinic. Patients Couples (n = 150). Intervention In vitro fertilization with preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy and sperm DNA fragmentation assay, as in sperm chromatin structure assay the day of retrieval. Main Outcome Measures Laboratory outcomes are listed in the results section. Statistical analysis was performed using JMP, XYLSTAT, and STATA version 15. Results The sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) in the neat ejaculate did not predict fertilization rate, quality, blastulation, or genetic diagnosis. No statistically significant results were obtained comparing <15% with >15%, <20% with >20%, <30% with >30% except for DFI. No statistically significant differences in oocyte source age or male age were observed. No statistically significant differences comparing <15% with >15%, <20% with >20%, <30% with >30% DFI at the time of standard IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) were observed for % euploid, aneuploid, mosaic, blastulation, biopsied, or D5/total biopsied. The DFI of >15% had more good quality D3 embryos than the <15% group, as did the >20% group compared with the <20% group. The ICSI fertilization was significantly higher in all 3 lower percentage groups compared with the higher counterpart. Standard IVF had significantly more blastocysts/fertilized suitable for biopsy and more D5/total number biopsied than ICSI embryos despite no difference in DFI. Conclusions The DFI at fertilization is correlated with decreased fertilization for ICSI and IVF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia L. Broussard
- Midwest Fertility Specialists, Carmel, Indiana
- ReproSource, Marlborough, Massachusetts
- Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia
| | | | | | | | - Hind Beydoun
- Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, Fort Belvoir, Virginia
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Peng T, Liao C, Ye X, Chen Z, Li X, Lan Y, Fu X, An G. Machine learning-based clustering to identify the combined effect of the DNA fragmentation index and conventional semen parameters on in vitro fertilization outcomes. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2023; 21:26. [PMID: 36922829 PMCID: PMC10015711 DOI: 10.1186/s12958-023-01080-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies have demonstrated an association between male sperm quality and assisted reproduction outcomes, focusing on the effects of individual parameters and reaching controversial conclusions. The WHO 6th edition manual highlights a new semen assay, the sperm DNA fragmentation index, for use after routine semen examination. However, the combined effect of the sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) and routine semen parameters remains largely unknown. METHODS We assessed the combined effect of the sperm DFI and conventional semen parameters on single fresh conventional IVF outcomes for infertile couples from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2020. IVF outcomes were obtained from the cohort database follow-up records of the Clinical Reproductive Medicine Management System of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University. An unsupervised K-means clustering method was applied to classify participants into several coexposure pattern groups. A multivariate logistic regression model was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS A total of 549 live births among 1258 couples occurred during the follow-up period. A linear exposure-response relationship was observed among the sperm DFI, sperm motility, and IVF outcomes. In multivariable adjustment, increased sperm DFI values and decreased sperm motility and semen concentration levels were associated with reduced odds of favourable IVF outcomes. Four coexposure patterns were generated based on the sperm DFI and the studied semen parameters, as follows: Cluster 1 (low sperm DFI values and high sperm motility and semen concentration levels), Cluster 2 (low sperm DFI values and moderate sperm motility and semen concentration levels), Cluster 3 (low sperm DFI values and low sperm motility and semen concentration levels) and Cluster 4 (high sperm DFI values and low sperm motility and semen concentration levels). Compared with those in Cluster 1, participants in Cluster 3 and Cluster 4 had lower odds of a live birth outcome, with odds ratios (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) of 0.733 (0.537, 0.998) and 0.620 (0.394, 0.967), respectively. CONCLUSIONS When combined with low sperm DFI values, there was no significant difference between high or moderate sperm concentration and motility levels, and both were associated with favourable IVF outcomes. Low sperm parameter levels, even when DFI values remain low, may still lead to poor IVF outcomes. Participants with high sperm DFI values and low sperm motility and semen concentration levels had the worst outcomes. Our findings offer a novel perspective for exploring the joint effects of sperm DFI and routine semen parameter values.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianwen Peng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center of Reproductive Medicine, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, Guangdong, China
| | - Chen Liao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center of Reproductive Medicine, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, Guangdong, China
| | - Xin Ye
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center of Reproductive Medicine, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhicong Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center of Reproductive Medicine, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaomin Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center of Reproductive Medicine, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, Guangdong, China
| | - Yu Lan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center of Reproductive Medicine, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, Guangdong, China
| | - Xin Fu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center of Reproductive Medicine, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, Guangdong, China
| | - Geng An
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center of Reproductive Medicine, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, Guangdong, China.
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Adler A, Roth B, Lundy SD, Takeshima T, Yumura Y, Kuroda S. Sperm DNA fragmentation testing in clinical management of reproductive medicine. Reprod Med Biol 2023; 22:e12547. [PMID: 37915974 PMCID: PMC10616814 DOI: 10.1002/rmb2.12547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Approximately 8%-12% of couples worldwide face infertility, with infertility of individuals assigned male at birth (AMAB) contributing to at least 50% of cases. Conventional semen analysis commonly used to detect sperm abnormalities is insufficient, as 30% of AMAB patients experiencing infertility show normal results in this test. From a genetic perspective, the assessment of sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) is important as a parameter of sperm quality. Methods In this narrative study, we review and discuss pathophysiological causes, DNA repair mechanisms, and management of high SDF. We then summarize literature exploring the association between SDF and reproductive outcomes. Main Findings Recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses have revealed a significant association between high SDF in AMAB individuals and adverse reproductive outcomes including embryo development, natural conception, intrauterine insemination, and in vitro fertilization. However, the association with live birth rates and pregnancy rates following intracytoplasmic injection remains inconclusive. The disparities among quantitative assays, inconsistent reference range values, absent high-quality prospective clinical trials, and clinical heterogeneity in AMAB patients with elevated SDF represent the main limitations affecting SDF testing. Conclusion The evaluation and management of SDF plays an important role in a subset of AMAB infertility, but widespread integration into clinical guidelines will require future high-quality clinical trials and assay standardization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ava Adler
- Glickman Urological & Kidney InstituteCleveland Clinic FoundationClevelandOhioUSA
| | - Bradley Roth
- Glickman Urological & Kidney InstituteCleveland Clinic FoundationClevelandOhioUSA
| | - Scott D. Lundy
- Glickman Urological & Kidney InstituteCleveland Clinic FoundationClevelandOhioUSA
| | - Teppei Takeshima
- Department of Urology, Reproduction CenterYokohama City University Medical CenterYokohamaJapan
| | - Yasushi Yumura
- Department of Urology, Reproduction CenterYokohama City University Medical CenterYokohamaJapan
| | - Shinnosuke Kuroda
- Glickman Urological & Kidney InstituteCleveland Clinic FoundationClevelandOhioUSA
- Department of Urology, Reproduction CenterYokohama City University Medical CenterYokohamaJapan
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Nixon B, Schjenken JE, Burke ND, Skerrett-Byrne DA, Hart HM, De Iuliis GN, Martin JH, Lord T, Bromfield EG. New horizons in human sperm selection for assisted reproduction. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1145533. [PMID: 36909306 PMCID: PMC9992892 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1145533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Male infertility is a commonly encountered pathology that is estimated to be a contributory factor in approximately 50% of couples seeking recourse to assisted reproductive technologies. Upon clinical presentation, such males are commonly subjected to conventional diagnostic andrological practices that rely on descriptive criteria to define their fertility based on the number of morphologically normal, motile spermatozoa encountered within their ejaculate. Despite the virtual ubiquitous adoption of such diagnostic practices, they are not without their limitations and accordingly, there is now increasing awareness of the importance of assessing sperm quality in order to more accurately predict a male's fertility status. This realization raises the important question of which characteristics signify a high-quality, fertilization competent sperm cell. In this review, we reflect on recent advances in our mechanistic understanding of sperm biology and function, which are contributing to a growing armory of innovative approaches to diagnose and treat male infertility. In particular we review progress toward the implementation of precision medicine; the robust clinical adoption of which in the setting of fertility, currently lags well behind that of other fields of medicine. Despite this, research shows that the application of advanced technology platforms such as whole exome sequencing and proteomic analyses hold considerable promise in optimizing outcomes for the management of male infertility by uncovering and expanding our inventory of candidate infertility biomarkers, as well as those associated with recurrent pregnancy loss. Similarly, the development of advanced imaging technologies in tandem with machine learning artificial intelligence are poised to disrupt the fertility care paradigm by advancing our understanding of the molecular and biological causes of infertility to provide novel avenues for future diagnostics and treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett Nixon
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
- *Correspondence: Brett Nixon,
| | - John E. Schjenken
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Nathan D. Burke
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - David A. Skerrett-Byrne
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Hanah M. Hart
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Geoffry N. De Iuliis
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Jacinta H. Martin
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Tessa Lord
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Elizabeth G. Bromfield
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Infertility and Reproduction Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
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The Association of Sperm DNA Fragment and Assisted Reproductive Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis. COMPUTATIONAL AND MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN MEDICINE 2022; 2022:1126616. [PMID: 36158125 PMCID: PMC9492328 DOI: 10.1155/2022/1126616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Objective To analyze the effect of sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) on the outcomes of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Methods Literature search was conducted on English databases PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase to obtain eligible studies. Results A total of 11 cohort studies were included and analyzed using the random effects model. The results illustrated that the IVF fertilization rate (RR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.77-1.14, P = 0.61), pregnancy rate (RR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.57-1.21, P = 0.32), and live birth rate (RR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.16-1.80, P = 0.31) in the high DFI group were statistically insignificant with those in the low FI group. The correlations between DFI and ICSI fertilization rate (RR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.52-1.18, P = 0.25), pregnancy rate (RR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.74-1.06, P = 0.18), and live birth rate (RR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.70-1.14, P = 0.36) were also not statistically significant. Conclusion This study has observed no significant correlation between sperm DFI and assisted reproductive outcomes. Multicenter large-sample clinical trials are required to conclusively determine the impact of DNA damage on the clinical outcomes of assisted reproduction.
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Houda A, Peter Michael J, Romeo M, Mohamad Eid H. Smoking and Its Consequences on Male and Female Reproductive Health. Stud Fam Plann 2022. [DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.104941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Smoking contributes to the death of around one in 10 adults worldwide. Specifically, cigarettes are known to contain around 4000 toxins and chemicals that are hazardous in nature. The negative effects of smoking on human health and interest in smoking-related diseases have a long history. Among these concerns are the harmful effects of smoking on reproductive health. Thirteen percent of female infertility is due to smoking. Female smoking can lead to gamete mutagenesis, early loss of reproductive function, and thus advance the time to menopause. It has been also associated with ectopic pregnancy and spontaneous abortion. Even when it comes to assisted reproductive technologies cycles, smokers require more cycles, almost double the number of cycles needed to conceive as non-smokers. Male smoking is shown to be correlated with poorer semen parameters and sperm DNA fragmentation. Not only active smokers but also passive smokers, when excessively exposed to smoking, can have reproductive problems comparable to those seen in smokers. In this book chapter, we will approach the effect of tobacco, especially tobacco smoking, on male and female reproductive health. This aims to take a preventive approach to infertility by discouraging smoking and helping to eliminate exposure to tobacco smoke in both women and men.
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Farkouh A, Salvio G, Kuroda S, Saleh R, Vogiatzi P, Agarwal A. Sperm DNA integrity and male infertility: a narrative review and guide for the reproductive physicians. Transl Androl Urol 2022; 11:1023-1044. [PMID: 35958895 PMCID: PMC9360512 DOI: 10.21037/tau-22-149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Objective Conventional semen analysis (SA) remains an essential tool in the initial male fertility evaluation and subsequent follow-up. However, it neither provides information about the functional status of spermatozoa nor addresses disorders such as idiopathic or unexplained infertility (UI). Recently, assessment of sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) has been proposed as an extended sperm test that may help overcome these inherent limitations of basic SA. In this review, we aim to: (I) discuss the pathophysiological aspects of SDF, including natural repair mechanisms, causes, and impact on reproductive outcomes; (II) explain different assessment tools of SDF, and describe potential therapeutic options to manage infertile men with high SDF; and (III) analyse the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) of current research on the topic. Methods This review was constructed from original studies, systematic reviews and meta-analyses that were published over the years up until August 2021, related to the various aspects of SDF. Key Content and Findings Different mechanisms lead to high SDF, including defective chromatin packaging, apoptosis, and seminal oxidative stress. The relevance of sperm DNA integrity to male fertility/infertility has been supported by the frequent observation of high levels of SDF in infertile men, and in association with risk factors for infertility. Additionally, high SDF levels have been inversely correlated with the outcomes of natural pregnancy and assisted reproduction. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labelling, sperm chromatin structure assay, sperm chromatin dispersion, and Comet assay are four commonly used assays for measurement of SDF. Addressing lifestyle risks and underlying conditions, antioxidants, hormonal therapy, and advanced sperm selection techniques have all been proposed as potential therapeutic options to lower SDF. Conclusions The sum of literature provides evidence of detrimental effects of high SDF on both natural and assisted fertility outcomes. Standardization of the techniques used for assessment of SDF and their incorporation into the work up of infertile couples may have significant implications on the future management of a selected category of infertile men with high SDF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ala’a Farkouh
- Global Andrology Forum, American Center for Reproductive Medicine, Moreland Hills, Ohio, USA
| | - Gianmaria Salvio
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences (DISCLIMO), Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | | | - Ramadan Saleh
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Andrology, Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt
- Ajyal IVF Center, Ajyal Hospital, Sohag, Egypt
| | - Paraskevi Vogiatzi
- Andromed Health & Reproduction, Fertility Diagnostics Laboratory, Athens, Greece
| | - Ashok Agarwal
- Global Andrology Forum, American Center for Reproductive Medicine, Moreland Hills, Ohio, USA
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Ferlin A, Calogero AE, Krausz C, Lombardo F, Paoli D, Rago R, Scarica C, Simoni M, Foresta C, Rochira V, Sbardella E, Francavilla S, Corona G. Management of male factor infertility: position statement from the Italian Society of Andrology and Sexual Medicine (SIAMS) : Endorsing Organization: Italian Society of Embryology, Reproduction, and Research (SIERR). J Endocrinol Invest 2022; 45:1085-1113. [PMID: 35075609 DOI: 10.1007/s40618-022-01741-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Infertility affects 15-20% of couples and male factors are present in about half of the cases. For many aspects related to the diagnostic and therapeutic approach of male factor infertility, there is no general consensus, and the clinical approach is not uniform. METHODS In the present document by the Italian Society of Andrology and Sexual Medicine (SIAMS), endorsed by the Italian Society of Embryology, Reproduction, and Research (SIERR), we propose evidence-based recommendations for the diagnosis, treatment, and management of male factor infertility to improve patient and couple care. RESULTS Components of the initial evaluation should include at minimum medical history, physical examination, and semen analysis. Semen microbiological examination, endocrine assessment, and imaging are suggested in most men and recommended when specific risk factors for infertility exist or first-step analyses showed abnormalities. Full examination including genetic tests, testicular cytology/histology, or additional tests on sperm is clinically oriented and based on the results of previous investigations. For treatment purposes, the identification of the specific cause and the pathogenetic mechanism is advisable. At least, distinguishing pre-testicular, testicular, and post-testicular forms is essential. Treatment should be couple-oriented, including lifestyle modifications, etiologic therapies, empirical treatments, and ART on the basis of best evidence and with a gradual approach. CONCLUSION These Guidelines are based on two principal aspects: they are couple-oriented and place high value in assessing, preventing, and treating risk factors for infertility. These Guidelines also highlighted that male infertility and in particular testicular function might be a mirror of general health of a man.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Ferlin
- Department of Medicine, Unit of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35121, Padua, Italy.
| | - A E Calogero
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - C Krausz
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences 'Mario Serio', University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - F Lombardo
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Laboratory of Seminology-Sperm Bank "Loredana Gandini", University of Rome "La Sapienza", Rome, Italy
| | - D Paoli
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Laboratory of Seminology-Sperm Bank "Loredana Gandini", University of Rome "La Sapienza", Rome, Italy
| | - R Rago
- Department of Gender, Parenting, Child and Adolescent Medicine, Physiopathology of Reproduction and Andrology Unit, Sandro Pertini Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - C Scarica
- European Hospital, Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Rome, Italy
| | - M Simoni
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - C Foresta
- Department of Medicine, Unit of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35121, Padua, Italy
| | - V Rochira
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - E Sbardella
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Rome, Italy
| | - S Francavilla
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, Unit of Andrology, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - G Corona
- Medical Department, Endocrinology Unit, Maggiore-Bellaria Hospital, Azienda Usl, Bologna, Italy
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