SynthesisWorld journal of urology2025
Surgical efficacy and predictors of outcome in varicocelectomy: a meta-analysis of multivariable studies.
Synthesis in World journal of urology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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.
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.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Varicocelectomy in men with varicocele-associated infertility: a narrative review of semen quality and reproductive outcomes.Translational andrology and urology · 2026Review
- Integrating bibliometrics and real-world data to map varicocele research and predict surgical outcomes.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2026Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
11 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundVaricocele is a common cause of male infertility. Varicocelectomy can effectively improve semen quality, but it does not improve semen quality in all patients.
methodsPrior to conducting this meta-analysis, we registered the protocol in PROSPERO (CRD42024574608). Our meta-analysis by searching databases such as Web of Science, Embase, PubMed, and Cochrane Library. Only studies utilizing multivariable logistic regression were included. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to assess the effect size.
resultsThe analysis comprised 11 studies with 1,498 patients and encompassed 14 outcomes. The overall efficacy rate of varicocelectomy was 62.8% (95% CI 55.6-69.9%). Compared to other surgical methods and approaches, microsurgical varicocelectomy and subinguinal varicocelectomy demonstrated higher surgical efficacy rates. Higher preoperative sperm concentration (OR = 1.04, 95% CI 1.01-1.06) and total motile sperm count (OR = 3.00, 95% CI 1.04-8.67) were predictive of better post-varicocelectomy outcomes. Furthermore, a positive correlation existed between wider spermatic vein diameter and improved efficacy post-varicocelectomy (OR = 2.41, 95% CI 1.36-4.26).
conclusionMicrosurgical subinguinal varicocelectomy achieves higher surgical efficacy rates. Varicocele patients with better preoperative sperm concentration, total motile sperm count, and wider spermatic vein diameter are more likely to benefit from varicocelectomy. This provides andrologists with a reference basis for advising varicocele patients on the surgical efficacy and potential benefits post-varicocelectomy.
Indexed as
Identifiers
40423814What Socratic holds
Registered trials
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.