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Andrology 2022 Jun 23. Epub 2022 Jun 23.

Clinical Trials Coordinating Center, Toscano Cancer Institute, University Hospital Careggi, Florence, Italy.

Background: Transrectal ultrasound(TRUS) parameters are not standardized, especially in men of reproductive age. Hence, the European Academy of Andrology(EAA) promoted a multicenter study to assess the TRUS characteristics of healthy-fertile men(HFM) to establish normative parameters.

Objectives: To report and discuss the prostate and seminal vesicles (SV) reference ranges and characteristics in HFM and their associations with clinical, seminal, biochemical parameters. Read More

Andrology 2022 Jun 23. Epub 2022 Jun 23.

Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325027, China.

Background: The primary function of testicular Leydig cells (LCs) is to produce testosterone (T). In vitro culture of the cells represents a very important approach to study androgen production and its regulations. Various methods have been developed for the enrichment of the cells from the testes. Read More

Andrology 2022 Jun 21. Epub 2022 Jun 21.

Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, DK-2100, Denmark.

Background: Couples increasingly experience infertility and seek help from assisted reproductive techniques to become pregnant. However, 5-15% of the couples that are selected for in vitro fertilisation (IVF) experience a total fertilisation failure (TFF), where no zygotes develop despite oocytes and semen parameters appear to be normal. We hypothesise that TFF during IVF could be related to improper membrane fusion of gametes. Read More

Andrology 2022 Jun 21. Epub 2022 Jun 21.

Urology Unit, Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.

Introduction: Several urological conditions that share an impairment of tissue oxygenation can benefit from hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO), limited evidence is available on the impact of HBO in patients undergoing male-to-female (MtF) Gender Affirmation Surgery (GAS).

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of HBO as adjuvant treatment for surgical site infections in patients undergoing MtF GAS.

Methods: This research was conducted as an observational retrospective study. Read More

Andrology 2022 Jun 20. Epub 2022 Jun 20.

Division of Experimental Oncology/Unit of Urology, URI, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy.

Background: In 2021 the World Health Organization (WHO) has provided the latest update on processing and evaluating semen analysis.

Objectives: To assess i) the rate of discordance in semen parameters categorization across three different WHO reference values (namely WHO21, 2010 and 1999); and, ii) the clinical differences among discordant semen analyses from a cohort of primary infertile men.

Materials And Methods: Data from 788 infertile men were analyzed. Read More

Andrology 2022 Jun 20. Epub 2022 Jun 20.

Division of Experimental Oncology/Unit of Urology, URI; IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy.

Background: Erectile dysfunction aetiology (ED) has been historically identified as organic, psychogenic, and mixed.

Objectives: To stratify and compare a cohort of patients seeking medical help for ED for the first time according to the newly proposed binary classification of the EAU guidelines: "primary organic" versus "primary psychogenic".

Materials And Methods: Complete data from 2009 consecutive patients presenting for ED were analysed. Read More

Andrology 2022 Jun 18. Epub 2022 Jun 18.

School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, University of Queensland, Gatton, Australia.

Background: Men with spinal cord injury (SCI) show a high proportion of sperm DNA damage in their ejaculate but the underlying pathology remains elusive.

Objective: To investigate the relative incidence of single (SSBs) and double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs) and DNase activity in men with SCI.

Materials And Methods: This study included ejaculates of 20 men with SCI and 27 normozoospermic (sperm donors). Read More

Andrology 2022 Jun 17. Epub 2022 Jun 17.

Sperm Bank, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel.

Background: The development of covid-19 vaccinations represents a notable scientific achievement. Nevertheless, concerns have been raised regarding their possible detrimental impact on male fertility OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of covid-19 BNT162b2 (Pfizer) vaccine on semen parameters among semen donors (SD).

Methods: 37 SD from three sperm banks that provided 220 samples, were included in that retrospective longitudinal multicenter cohort study. Read More

Andrology 2022 Jun 17. Epub 2022 Jun 17.

Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui province, China.

Background: C-reactive protein (CRP), as a marker of inflammation, may be closely related to erectile dysfunction (ED), however, there is no meta-analysis exists for it.

Objectives: We aimed to verify the relationship between CRP and erectile dysfunction and to explore the changes of CRP levels in ED patients after first-line treatment.

Materials And Methods: We searched databases including the Cochrane Library, PubMed, and MEDLINE to identify studies up to January 1, 2022. Read More

Andrology 2022 Jun 17. Epub 2022 Jun 17.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.

Background: Testosterone decline and deficiency in males have aroused increased attention in male health management, which might have a close relationship with insulin resistance (IR).

Objectives: We utilized a novel and practical IR indicator, the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, to investigate the association between the TyG index and serum testosterone in US adult males.

Materials And Methods: This was a cross-sectional study based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013-2014 and 2015-2016. Read More

Andrology 2022 Jun 17. Epub 2022 Jun 17.

Andrology, Women's Endocrinology and Gender Incongruence Unit, Careggi Hospital, Italy.

Objectives: To challenge a Vapour Fast Freezing (VFF) cryopreservation procedure (conventional VFF) with several vitrification protocols and VFF conducted with small semen volumes (10μl) (microVFF), in order to implement a procedure for sperm banking in subjects with small sperm number.

Materials And Methods: Conventional VFF was conducted with Test Yolk buffer (TYB) as freezing medium and 500μl straws as carriers. MicroVFF was conducted with TYB and using tips or Cell Sleepers as carriers. Read More

Andrology 2022 Jun 14. Epub 2022 Jun 14.

NHC Key Laboratory of Male Reproduction and Genetics, Guangdong Provincial Reproductive Science Hospital, Guangzhou, 510000, China.

Introduction: Semen analysis (SA) plays a key role in guiding treatments of male reproductive diseases and infertility due to male factors; however, it remains challenging to conduct an accurate SA due to lack of standardization, highly subjective assessments, and problems with automated procedures. Therefore, quality assurance (QA) and teaching courses are essential for making the laboratory results more consistent.

Materials And Methods: The EQA scheme was organized by national human sperm bank technology training bases in Guangdong province in China between 2009 and 2020. Read More

Andrology 2022 Jun 9. Epub 2022 Jun 9.

Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.

Background: The management of diabetes mellitus-induced erectile dysfunction (DMED) is progressively becoming tricky due to the surge in the number of patients and the poor efficiency of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors in DMED. Paeonol (Pae), as a traditional Chinese medicine, has been more and more widely used in the treatment of diabetic complications. However, whether Pae could be a potential therapeutic drug of DMED needs to be further evaluated. Read More

Andrology 2022 Jun 9. Epub 2022 Jun 9.

Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.

Background: The mechanism by which low androgen status inhibit erectile function has not yet been clearly elucidated. Neurogranin (Ng) is a Ca -sensitive calmodulin binding protein that is expressed in endothelial cells and regulates eNOS function.

Objectives: To investigate whether low androgen status inhibit erectile function by regulating the Ng/CaN/AKT/eNOS pathway in the penile cavernous tissue of rats. Read More

Andrology 2022 Jun 4. Epub 2022 Jun 4.

Department of Histology and Embryology, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia.

Background: Reinke crystals are structures pathognomonic for Leydig cells, which have the important function of testosterone production and are vital for male reproductive health. These crystalline inclusions are thought to be of protein origin; however, the molecular composition has not yet been resolved.

Objectives: This review summarizes all available information regarding Reinke crystal's characteristics and aims to produce a comprehensive guide for research on this topic as well as to determine and discuss potential Reinke-protein candidates. Read More

Andrology 2022 Jun 1. Epub 2022 Jun 1.

Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.

Background: The effects of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine on spermatozoa parameters are not known. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine on human semen, comparing spermatozoa parameters before and after vaccine inoculation.

Materials And Methods: In this single-center prospective study, voluntary subjects who received mRNA vaccines from February to July 2021 were enrolled. Read More

Andrology 2022 Jun 1. Epub 2022 Jun 1.

Reproductive Medicine Centre, Skåne University Hospital Malmö, Malmö, Sweden.

Background: Smoke-free tobacco via moist oral snuff (snus) is used daily in more than 20% of Swedish men. Negative effects of cigarette smoking on sperm parameters are well documented, unlike for snuff, despite relevance also for other smoke-free nicotine products.

Objectives: We wanted to investigate whether reproductive parameters differed between users and non-users of snuff, and whether the amount of snuff and nicotine exposure mattered. Read More

Andrology 2022 Jun 1. Epub 2022 Jun 1.

University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.

Background: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a very common complication in men with diabetes mellitus (DM). Low-intensity extracorporeal shockwave therapy (Li-ESWT) offers a promising nonsurgical treatment option for ED. A systematic scoping review investigating the outcomes of Li-ESWT in diabetic men with ED has not yet been performed. Read More

Andrology 2022 May 19. Epub 2022 May 19.

Department of Andrology, Sexology & STIs, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.

Background: Addiction is a global problem that has many negative consequences on human health as well as the quality of life.

Objectives: This review aimed to assess the effect of addiction on human male fertility.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted on various electronic sites. Read More

Andrology 2022 May 10. Epub 2022 May 10.

Kinder Institute for Urban Research, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA.

Background: The relationship between men's testosterone levels and their sexual behaviors is unclear as existing studies find mixed results.

Objectives: The key objective of this study is to assess whether men's testosterone levels are affected by sexual behaviors and to explore whether this relationship varies by age. Specifically, this study addresses the question: Are men's testosterone levels affected by the number of sexual partners they accrue?

Methods: This analysis was based on a nationally representative sample of 977 unpartnered heterosexual men between the ages of 20 and 65 in the United States. Read More

Andrology 2022 Apr 29. Epub 2022 Apr 29.

Department of Preventive Medicine and Population Health, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.

Importance: Low testosterone levels in males have been linked with increase in proinflammatory cytokines-a primary culprit in COVID-19 disease progression-and with adverse COVID-19 outcomes. To date, however, no published studies have assessed the effect of testosterone therapy on COVID-19 outcomes in older men.

Objective: To examine whether testosterone therapy reduced disease progression in older men diagnosed with COVID-19. Read More

Andrology 2022 Apr 29. Epub 2022 Apr 29.

Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Medical Pathophysiology, Food Science and Endocrinology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.

Background: Erectile dysfunction is recognized as one of the complications of diabetes mellitus. To date, a wide gap of knowledge is present on the efficacy of pharmacological treatments of diabetes mellitus on erectile function, acting not only through metabolic control. Similarly, the effects of different diet regimens on erectile dysfunction are still debated. Read More

Andrology 2022 Apr 29. Epub 2022 Apr 29.

Division of Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Department of Gynecology, Fertility Center, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center IRCCS, Rozzano, Milan, Italy.

Background: Nowadays, pathogenesis of preeclampsia (PE) is still unknown. Among the different etiological hypotheses, some authors proposed that it might be because of an abnormal immunologic response to a foreign fetal antigen derived from the father's spermatozoa. Indeed, the fetus is considered a semi-allograft, being one half paternally derived in its antigenicity, and the first pathogenic insult of PE may be an abnormal maternal immune response toward this semi-allogenic implant. Read More

Andrology 2022 Apr 28. Epub 2022 Apr 28.

Department of Urology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA.

Background: Hematospermia is an alarming symptom and can cause significant patient distress, but work-up is often negative.

Objective: To characterize the clinical evaluation of hematospermia and its association with the diagnosis of urologic malignancy.

Materials And Methods: Using MarketScan insurance claims database, we identified adult males 18-64 years old diagnosed with hematospermia from 2010 to 2018. Read More

Andrology 2022 Apr 26. Epub 2022 Apr 26.

Department of Morphology and Genetics, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.

Background: Nicotine leads to reproductive changes culminating in male infertility and subfertility. Resveratrol, a polyphenol, is a biological modulator. Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) protein can positively act on male reproduction, and its expression can be affected by nicotine and modulated by resveratrol. Read More

Andrology 2022 Apr 24. Epub 2022 Apr 24.

Department of Urology, the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.

Objective: To investigate the effect of low androgen status on mitochondria-associated membranes (MAMs) and its relationship with erectile function.

Methods: A total of 36 eight-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into six groups: the control (sham-operated) group, the castration group, the castration + testosterone (cast + T) group, the control + siRNA group, the cast + siRNA group, and the cast + empty vector group. Testosterone propionate (3 mg/kg) was subcutaneously injected into the rats in the cast + T group every other day starting from the second day after the surgery. Read More

Andrology 2022 Apr 24. Epub 2022 Apr 24.

Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine Giresun University, Giresun, Turkey.

Background: It has been reported that there is a relationship between erectile dysfunction and endothelial dysfunction. However, a practical and non-invasive method to clinically evaluate this relationship has not yet been determined. The cardio-ankle vascular index is a marker of arteriosclerosis that develops as a result of endothelial dysfunction. Read More

Andrology 2022 Apr 23. Epub 2022 Apr 23.

UROGIV Research Group, School of Medicine, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.

Aim: To describe the association between partial thrombosis of the corpus cavernosum, partial priapism, and hard flaccid syndrome.

Methods: A scoping review was performed according to the recommendations of the Joanna Briggs Institute. Moreover, we performed a search strategy using the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL databases. Read More

Andrology 2022 05;10(4):619-624

President of the European Academy of Andrology, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio", University of Florence, Florence, Italy.

Andrology 2022 Apr 19. Epub 2022 Apr 19.

Department of Andrology, Shaanxi Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.

Background: Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) have been used to treat male infertility for decades. However, due to the lack of large-scale randomized controlled studies and basic research, the efficacy and safety of AIs in the treatment of male infertility remain controversial. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct an evidence-based preliminary evaluation of the existing clinical trials of AIs in the treatment of male infertility. Read More