Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39737850›Full record

ReviewAndrology2025

Update on andrological effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19: An overview review.

Giuseppe Lisco, Anna De Tullio, Maima Matin, Vito Angelo Giagulli, Edoardo Guastamacchia, Giovanni De Pergola, Giuseppina Piazzolla, Vincenzo Triggiani

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Andrology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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

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

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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

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

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. 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

8 authors.

Giuseppe LiscoInterdisciplinary Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-6521-8578
Anna De TullioInterdisciplinary Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-6341-6140
Maima MatinInstitute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Magdalenka, Poland.ORCID 0009-0001-5388-6285
Vito Angelo GiagulliInterdisciplinary Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-7073-1795
Edoardo GuastamacchiaInterdisciplinary Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-8666-8658
Giovanni De PergolaCenter of Nutrition for the Research and the Care of Obesity and Metabolic Diseases, National Institute of Gastroenterology IRCCS "Saverio de Bellis", Castellana Grotte, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-0020-3273
Giuseppina PiazzollaInterdisciplinary Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-3221-6562
Vincenzo TriggianiInterdisciplinary Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-6308-0528

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEvidence indicates a wide range of andrological alterations in patients with the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoronaVirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

aimTo provide an update on the andrological effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19.

methodsPubMed/MEDLINE and Institutional websites were searched for randomized clinical trials, non-systematic reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses.

resultsFifty-four records were included from 2020 to 2024. The most representative paper categories were non-systematic reviews (n = 26) and systematic reviews/meta-analyses (n = 27). One randomized, prospective, phase 2 trial was also included. Eight topics were identified and discussed as follows: short- and long-term seminal changes attributable to SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19; andrological effects of anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines; the potential impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 on male fertility; the relationship between serum testosterone levels and COVID-19 prognosis in men; fertility care during the pandemic; urinary/genital male system tract impairment in SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19; the effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 on circulating levels of sex steroid hormones; the impact of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 on sexual function and activity. DISCUSSION: SARS-CoV-2 can affect the whole testicular function through direct and indirect mechanisms, with a positive relation between the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the level of deterioration of testicular function. Testicular function recovers along with the recovery from the disease. In vitro fertilization techniques ensure similar results in patients with or without previous SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19. Immunization with anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines prevents andrological complaints due to naturally occurring infection. Erectile dysfunction and sexual dysfunction are frequently diagnosed in COVID-19 patients due to several contributing factors, including hormonal imbalance and psychosocial complaints related to the pandemic.

Indexed as

COVID-19COVID-19 VaccinesHumansInfertility, MaleMaleSARS-CoV-2TestosteroneCOVID-19 VaccinesTestosteroneCOVID‐19SARS‐CoV‐2sexual dysfunctionspermogramtestosteronevaccines

Identifiers

PMID39737850
PMCPMC12476222

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
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.