Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25793386›Full record

SynthesisPloS one2015

MTHFR 677C>T polymorphism increases the male infertility risk: a meta-analysis involving 26 studies.

Mancheng Gong, Wenjing Dong, Tingyu He, Zhirong Shi, Guiying Huang, Rui Ren, Sichong Huang, Shaopeng Qiu, Runqiang Yuan

Open access · goldAbstract readMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in PloS one, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 36 papers, 10 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
36citing papers in PubMed, 10 pooled it
5.9field-weighted citation impact, top 4% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

36 citing papers in PubMed, 10 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 61 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Pooled it
  6. Association between MTHFR A1298C polymorphism and male infertility: A meta-analysis.Journal of Huazhong University of Science and Technology. Medical sciences = Hua zhong ke ji da xue xue bao. Yi xue Ying De wen ban = Huazhong keji daxue xuebao. Yixue Yingdewen ban · 2017
    Pooled it
  7. Pooled it
  8. Pooled it
  9. Pooled it
  10. Pooled it
  11. Review
  12. Review
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Review
  20. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Mancheng GongDepartment of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China; Department of Andrology, Zhongshan Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhongshan, Guangdong, 528403, China.
Wenjing DongDepartment of Oncology, Zhongshan Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhongshan, Guangdong, 528403, China.
Tingyu HeDepartment of Reproductive Center, Zhongshan Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhongshan, Guangdong, 528403, China.
Zhirong ShiDepartment of Pharmacy, The Second People's Hospital of Zhuhai, Zhuhai, Guangdong, 519020, China.
Guiying HuangThe Second General Department, Zhongshan Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhongshan, Guangdong, 528403, China.
Rui RenDepartment of Andrology, Zhongshan Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhongshan, Guangdong, 528403, China.
Sichong HuangDepartment of Andrology, Zhongshan Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhongshan, Guangdong, 528403, China.
Shaopeng QiuDepartment of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China.
Runqiang YuanDepartment of Andrology, Zhongshan Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhongshan, Guangdong, 528403, China.
Sun Yat-sen University · CNZhuhai Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

objectivesMethylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) polymorphism may be a risk factor for male infertility. However, the epidemiologic studies showed inconsistent results regarding MTHFR polymorphism and the risk of male infertility. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis of published case-control studies to re-examine the controversy.

methodsElectronic searches of PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) were conducted to select eligible literatures for this meta-analysis (updated to June 19, 2014). According to our inclusion criteria and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS), only high quality studies that observed the association between MTHFR polymorphism and male infertility risk were included. Crude odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to assess the strength of association between the MTHFR polymorphism and male infertility risk.

resultsTwenty-six studies involving 5,575 cases and 5,447 controls were recruited. Overall, MTHFR 677C>T polymorphism showed significant associations with male infertility risk in both fixed effects (CT+TT vs. CC: OR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.23-1.46) and random effects models (CT+TT vs. CC: OR = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.19-1.62). Further, when stratified by ethnicity, sperm concentration and control sources, the similar results were observed in Asians, Caucasians, Azoo or OAT subgroup and both in population-based and hospital-based controls. Nevertheless, no significant association was only observed in oligo subgroup.

conclusionsOur results indicated that the MTHFR polymorphism is associated with an increased risk of male infertility. Further well-designed analytical studies are necessary to confirm our conclusions and evaluate gene-environment interactions with male infertility risk.

Indexed as

Genetic Predisposition to DiseaseEthnicityHumansInfertility, MaleMaleMethylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2)Polymorphism, Single NucleotidePublication BiasRisk FactorsSpermatozoaMethylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2)

Identifiers

PMID25793386
PMCPMC4368707
OpenAlexW2089052416

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.