Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36714598›Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in endocrinology2022

Sperm telomere length as a novel biomarker of male infertility and embryonic development: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Yacheng Yuan, Yangyang Tan, Xiaolong Qiu, Hengfeng Luo, Yuxiang Li, Ruijie Li, Xukai Yang

Open access · goldAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Frontiers in endocrinology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 18 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
18citing papers in PubMed
5.4field-weighted citation impact, top 3% 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

18 citing papers in PubMed, 31 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection on sperm telomere length.Journal of assisted reproduction and genetics · 2025
    Article
  6. Review
  7. Review
  8. Article
  9. Telomere Reprogramming and Cellular Metabolism: Is There a Link?International journal of molecular sciences · 2024
    Review
  10. Review
  11. Review
  12. Review
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. 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

7 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Yacheng YuanThe First Clinical Medical College of Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China.
Yangyang TanThe First Clinical Medical College of Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China.
Xiaolong QiuThe First Clinical Medical College of Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China.
Hengfeng LuoThe First Clinical Medical College of Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China.
Yuxiang LiThe First Clinical Medical College of Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China.
Ruijie LiThe First Clinical Medical College of Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China.
Xukai YangDepartment of Urology, The 940 Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force of Chinese PLA, Lanzhou, China.
Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Telomeres have an essential role in maintaining the integrity and stability of the human chromosomal genome and preserving essential DNA biological functions. Several articles have been published on the association of STL with male semen parameters and clinical pregnancy. The results, however, are either inconclusive or inconsistent. Therefore, this meta-analysis aimed to systematically assess the accuracy and clinical value of sperm telomere length (STL) as a new marker for diagnosing male infertility and predicting the quality of embryonic development. Methods: We performed a comprehensive systematic search for relevant publications in PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, and Ovid, from database build to August 2022. All experimental studies exploring the association of STL with male semen quality, male infertility, or embryonic development were included. Results: Overall, Twelve prospective observational cohort studies (1700 patients) were eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis showed a positive linear correlation between STL and semen parameters. The optimal cut-off value for STL diagnosing male infertility was 1.0, with a sensitivity and specificity of 80%. Regarding STL and embryonic development, the clinical pregnancy rate was associated with longer STL, and there was no significant difference between the two groups regarding fertilization rate. Conclusion: Our study showed that STL has good diagnostic and predictive value for male fertility and clinical pregnancy and could be used as a new biomarker for diagnosing male infertility and predicting embryonic development. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42022303333.

Indexed as

Infertility, MaleSemen AnalysisBiomarkersFemaleHumansMaleObservational Studies as TopicPregnancySemenSpermatozoaTelomereBiomarkersdiagnosisembryosinfertilitymalespermatozoatelomere

Identifiers

PMID36714598
PMCPMC9875015
OpenAlexW4315650305

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.