Andrology最新文献

{"title":"Topological abnormalities of left middle orbital frontal gyrus and amygdala associated with hypoactive sexual desire disorder: A diffusion tensor imaging study.","authors":"Yan Xu, Peining Niu, Tao Liu, Jinbo Tian, Ao Wang, Zhaoxu Yang, Shaowei Liu, Yun Chen, Jianhuai Chen","doi":"10.1111/andr.70064","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/andr.70064","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Sexual desire has been found to be associated with brain areas involved in sexual excitation and inhibition. However, little is known regarding whether hypoactive sexual desire disorder patients have structural abnormalities related to hypofunctional excitation or hyperfunctional inhibition in the brain.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Magnetic resonance imaging data were collected from 26 hypoactive sexual desire disorder patients and 28 healthy controls. The structural brain networks were constructed based on diffusion tensor imaging data. Finally, the nodal parameters were calculated by the graph theoretical analysis and were compared between hypoactive sexual desire disorder and healthy controls.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>There were no significant differences in the age, education level, and scores of emotional scales between groups. Meanwhile, all hypoactive sexual desire disorder patients showed normal hormone levels. Compared with healthy controls, hypoactive sexual desire disorder patients showed higher scores on the Arizona Sexual Experience Scale and its sexual desire subscale. In fractional anisotropy-weighted brain networks, a decreased clustering coefficient was found in the left middle frontal gyrus (orbital part), and decreased local efficiency was found in the left amygdala of hypoactive sexual desire disorder patients when compared with healthy controls.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The present study demonstrated impaired left middle orbital frontal gyrus and amygdala in the structural brain network of hypoactive sexual desire disorder patients, which might be the central pathological mechanisms underlying hypoactive sexual desire disorder and could be used as a neuroimaging diagnostic biomarker for hypoactive sexual desire disorder.</p>","PeriodicalId":7898,"journal":{"name":"Andrology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144092705","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Vitamin D levels and biomarkers of male fecundity: A study from the Danish National Birth Cohort.","authors":"Anne Gaml-Sørensen, Nis Brix, Sandra Søgaard Tøttenborg, Christian Lindh, Karin Sørig Hougaard, Siri Eldevik Håberg, Gunnar Toft, Jens Peter Ellekilde Bonde, Cecilia Høst Ramlau-Hansen","doi":"10.1111/andr.70061","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/andr.70061","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Vitamin D is metabolised throughout the male reproductive system, suggesting a direct regulatory role of vitamin D in male reproduction.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To investigate the association between plasma vitamin D levels at sperm ejaculation and during spermatogenesis and biomarkers of male fecundity in young men.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>From the Fetal Programming of Semen Quality cohort, Denmark, 2017-2019, 1047 young men provided a semen and a blood sample, and self-measured their testes volume at a clinical visit. Plasma levels of vitamin D (25(OH)D₃) and reproductive hormones were measured in the blood sample. Relative percentage differences in semen characteristics, testes volume and reproductive hormone levels were analysed according to measured vitamin D levels (categorised, continuous and as restricted cubic splines) at sperm ejaculation. Additionally, we used the seasonal variation in endogenous vitamin D synthesis to estimate individual vitamin D levels 3 months prior to sperm ejaculation (at initiation of spermatogenesis) in addition to 2 and 1 month before. This was analysed following the same strategy.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Compared to measured vitamin D levels >75 nmol/L, levels <25 nmol/L at sperm ejaculation were associated with lower total sperm count (‒15% [95% confidence interval: ‒33%; 8%]), and a higher proportion of non-progressive and immotile spermatozoa (11% [95% confidence interval: 0%; 24%]). Lower measured vitamin D levels were also associated with higher oestradiol, lower sex hormone-binding globulin and lower follicle-stimulating hormone, in dose-dependent manners. Vitamin D levels estimated before and during spermatogenesis yielded similar associations as vitamin D levels measured at sperm ejaculation.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>By using the seasonal variation in endogen vitamin D synthesis, we were able to estimate individual vitamin D levels during spermatogenesis.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Lower vitamin D levels before and during spermatogenesis and at sperm ejaculation were associated with lower total sperm count and sperm motility and an altered reproductive hormone profile.</p>","PeriodicalId":7898,"journal":{"name":"Andrology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144092707","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Muscle strength changes and physical activity during gender-affirming hormone therapy: A systematic review.","authors":"Mathilde Kamp Nørlund, Louise Lehmann Christensen, Marianne Skovsager Andersen, Tine Taulbjerg Kristensen, Jan Frystyk, Jonas Mathiesen, Jakob Lindberg Nielsen, Dorte Glintborg","doi":"10.1111/andr.70058","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/andr.70058","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Higher muscle strength is associated with improved overall health and lower mortality. Muscle strength changes during gender-affirming hormone therapy is possibly linked to gender-affirming hormone therapy modality, age at initiation, gender-affirming hormone therapy duration, and physical activity.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To review published literature on muscle strength changes during gender-affirming hormone therapy.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Studies were included if they met the PICOS criteria; P: transgender individuals ≥18 years, I: gender-affirming hormone therapy, C: gender-affirming hormone therapy-naïve transgender persons or cisgender controls, O: muscle strength and physical activity in relation to muscle strength, S: prospective cohorts or cross-sectional.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Fifteen studies with data on 1206 transgender persons (722 transmasculine persons, median age 23-37 years and 484 transfeminine persons, median age 27-41 years) were included. Prospective design was used in eight out of 15 studies (two out of eight on transmasculine, two out of eight on transfeminine, and four out of eight on both) and seven out of 15 were cross-sectional (two out of seven on transmasculine, four out of seven on transfeminine, and one out of seven on both). Isometric elbow flexion/extension, lower body strength, and handgrip strength were assessed in one out of 15 studies, four out of 15, and 12 out of 15 studies, respectively. Bias rating was moderate to high.</p><p><strong>Prospective studies: </strong>Masculinizing gender-affirming hormone therapy resulted in increased (four out of six studies) or unchanged (two out of six studies) muscle strength, while feminizing gender-affirming hormone therapy resulted in decreased (three out of six studies) or unchanged (three out of six studies) muscle strength. Muscle strength changes mainly occurred during the first year after initiating gender-affirming hormone therapy and age at initiation had no impact.</p><p><strong>Cross-sectional studies: </strong>Transmasculine and transfeminine persons had higher strength compared with cisgender women, but lower strength than cisgender men. Physical activity was unchanged during gender-affirming hormone therapy in five out of prospective studies, while transfeminine persons were less physically active than cisgender men in five out of five prospective studies.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Muscle strength appeared to increase during masculinizing gender-affirming hormone therapy and decrease during feminizing gender-affirming hormone therapy, whereas physical activity was unchanged. Given high risk of bias, more research is necessary. Improving transgender care requires engagement of transgender persons in physical activity.</p>","PeriodicalId":7898,"journal":{"name":"Andrology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144075402","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cardiovascular safety of testosterone therapy-Insights from the TRAVERSE trial and beyond: A position statement of the European Expert Panel for Testosterone Research.","authors":"Michael Zitzmann, Giulia Rastrelli, Robert D Murray, David Edwards, Yacov Reisman, Preethi Mohan Rao, Alexander Sahi, Thomas Hugh Jones, Alberto Ferlin, Eleni Armeni, Emiliano Corpas, Jann-Frederik Cremers, Janine David, Stefan Arver, Leen Antonio, Giovanni Corona","doi":"10.1111/andr.70062","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/andr.70062","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Testosterone therapy has become a cornerstone treatment for men with hypogonadism, offering significant benefits such as improved sexual function, mood, muscle mass, and bone density. However, concerns about its cardiovascular safety have historically tempered its use. This position statement synthesizes the current evidence on the cardiovascular safety of testosterone therapy, drawing from key studies including the TRAVERSE trial, other trials, and recent meta-analyses.</p><p><strong>Background and importance: </strong>Testosterone therapy aims to restore testosterone levels in men with hypogonadism, a condition associated with increased cardiovascular and metabolic risks. Early research produced mixed results, with some studies suggesting a potential increase in cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction and stroke, while others indicated possible cardiovascular benefits, particularly in men with coexisting conditions like metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.</p><p><strong>Findings from recent studies: </strong>The TRAVERSE trial, a large-scale, randomized, placebo-controlled study, provided robust evidence that testosterone therapy does not significantly increase the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events. Testosterone therapy was found to effectively mitigate anemia in hypogonadal men, highlighting a dual benefit of increasing red blood cell production while managing cardiovascular risks. The findings from the TRAVERSE trial align with those from previous meta-analyses that concluded that testosterone therapy is safe and does not increase cardiovascular risk.</p><p><strong>Consensus and clinical implications: </strong>There is consensus that testosterone therapy, when prescribed to appropriately selected patients and monitored regularly, is safe from a cardiovascular standpoint, with the potential benefits outweighing the risks when the therapy is used responsibly. Current guidelines recommend individualized treatment plans with careful monitoring, especially of hematocrit levels. This position statement amalgamates previous knowledge with current data and is in agreement with recent United States Food and Drug Administration label changes for testosterone products.</p>","PeriodicalId":7898,"journal":{"name":"Andrology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144075399","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Low testosterone in primary infertile men is associated with a history of maternal obesity during pregnancy: Findings from a cross-sectional study.","authors":"Fausto Negri, Luca Boeri, Edoardo Pozzi, Massimiliano Raffo, Riccardo Ramadani, Gabriele Birolini, Federica Passarelli, Christian Corsini, Federico Belladelli, Alessandro Bertini, Rayan Matloob, Alessia d'Arma, Michael L Eisenberg, Francesco Montorsi, Andrea Salonia","doi":"10.1111/andr.70054","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/andr.70054","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Maternal obesity increases offspring obesity risk, but limited data exist on its association with reproductive hormones in infertile males.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To investigate the impact of maternal obesity during pregnancy on total testosterone levels in primary infertile men.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Data from 418 men seeking medical help for primary infertility were analyzed. Demographics, clinical data, comorbidities, and history of maternal obesity during pregnancy were recorded. Testicular volume was assessed with Prader's orchidometer. Serum hormones, including calculated free testosterone, and semen parameters were collected. Low testosterone and low calculated free testosterone were defined as total testosterone <3 ng/mL and calculated free testosterone <120 pg/mL. Descriptive statistics and regression models evaluated associations between maternal obesity at pregnancy and both total testosterone and calculated free testosterone levels.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Median (interquartile range) age and body mass index were 36 (33‒40) years and 24.8 (23.1‒26.8) kg/m². Men with low testosterone (n = 69) had higher body mass index, Charlson comorbidity index score, and follicle-stimulating hormone, but lower testicular volume, sex hormone-binding globulin, sperm concentration, motility, and normal morphology compared to men without low testosterone (all p < 0.04). Similarly, men with low calculated free testosterone (n = 226) showed higher sex hormone-binding globulin, lower estradiol, sperm concentration, and motility than those with normal calculated free testosterone values (all p < 0.02). Low testosterone (7.2% vs. 2.0%, p = 0.01) and low calculated free testosterone (4.4% vs. 1.0%, p = 0.03) were more frequently reported during maternal obesity. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that maternal obesity at pregnancy (odds ratio: 5.9), higher body mass index (odds ratio: 1.1), and lower testicular volume (odds ratio: 0.9) were independent predictors of low testosterone (all p < 0.01), adjusting for age. Multivariable linear regression analyses identified maternal obesity at pregnancy (β = ‒4.1) and lower testicular volume (β = 1.8) as independent predictors of calculated free testosterone (all p < 0.001), after accounting for age and body mass index.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Low testosterone is a frequent characteristic in primary infertile men. Although rare, maternal obesity at pregnancy is significantly associated with reduced total testosterone and calculated free testosterone levels. Further preventive strategies and close follow-up should be considered in this specific group.</p>","PeriodicalId":7898,"journal":{"name":"Andrology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143952809","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Risk of priapism after dynamic penile Doppler ultrasound: Single-centre experience on a large cohort of patients.","authors":"Giuseppe Grande, Andrea Graziani, Raffaele Scafa, Andrea Delbarba, Nicola Caretta, Pierfrancesco Palego, Alberto Ferlin","doi":"10.1111/andr.70063","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/andr.70063","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To evaluate the risk of priapism in patients undergoing Dynamic-Penile duplex ultrasound (D-PDU) who were referred to our Unit between January 2022 and December 2023.</p><p><strong>Patients and methods: </strong>We enrolled 292 patients, of whom 268 underwent Dynamic-Penile duplex ultrasound for erectile dysfunction and 24 for Peyronie's disease. The mean age of the patients was 56 ± 12 years, the mean alprostadil dose administered was 9.17 ± 5.59 mcg and the mean erection response was 79.55 ± 19.95%. To evaluate the occurrence of priapism, we considered i) patients who called our phone number within the first hours following the exam; ii) patients who were referred to our Emergency Department within the 24 h following Dynamic-Penile duplex ultrasound; iii) patients who reported to us the occurrence of priapism at subsequent follow-up visit; iv) patients who e-mailed us to report this side effect.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We found no cases of priapism (0/292 patients, 0%). Therefore, statistical analysis with correlation and regression analysis was not conducted.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In our opinion, the risk of priapism following Dynamic-Penile duplex ultrasound with alprostadil injection might be re-evaluated, as it appears to be a rare and preventable condition.</p>","PeriodicalId":7898,"journal":{"name":"Andrology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143954323","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multifactorial determinants of male genital measurements: Correlations of stretched penile length and anogenital distance with anthropometric parameters.","authors":"Coşkun Kaya, Mehmet Erhan Aydın, Aykut Aykaç, Sevda Sungur, Murat Dursun, Ateş Kadıoğlu","doi":"10.1111/andr.70059","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/andr.70059","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The stretched penile length is recognized as the most reliable measure of true penile size, this fact is not widely acknowledged, and societal myths often associate penile length with other anthropometric measurements. While markers of prenatal androgen exposure, such as anogenital distance and the second-to-fourth digit ratio (2D:4D), have been widely studied, there is a lack of exploring the specific relationship between anogenital distance and stretched penile length in adult males.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aims to investigate the relationship between stretched penile length and anthropometric measurements. Additionally, it examines the correlation between stretched penile length and anogenital distance.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>The study included 1312 healthy males aged 18-22 years who visited a urology clinic for non-genital problems. Anthropometric measurements were collected. Anogenital distance was measured as the anoscrotal distance. The anthropometric indices were calculated using established formulas. Data were analyzed using univariate and multivariate regression models.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Anogenital distance emerged as the strongest independent predictor of stretched penile length (β = 0.618, p < 0.001) in the multivariate analysis. Fourth digit length also showed a significant association (β = 0.475, p = 0.042). Other anthropometric variables were not independently predictive of stretched penile length. Anogenital distance itself was significantly associated with stretched penile length, second-to-fourth digit ratio, and the crown-to-pubis distance.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>This study reinforces the clinical utility of adult-derived measurements such as anogenital distance, second-to-fourth digit ratio, and stretched penile length as reliable biomarkers of prenatal androgen exposure during the masculinization programming window. By demonstrating significant associations among these parameters, the findings highlight their relevance in assessing the impact of prenatal hormonal environments on male genital development.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study highlights anogenital distance and stretched penile length as reliable key biomarkers for prenatal androgen exposure. The findings contribute to understanding male genital development and its implications for reproductive health. The results also dispells societal myths regarding penile size and anthropometric measurements.</p>","PeriodicalId":7898,"journal":{"name":"Andrology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143957498","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Downregulation of spermatogenesis-associated transcripts in the spermatozoa of idiopathic infertile men.","authors":"Xinran Qi, Han Ji, Enrica Bianchi, Susan J Hall, Gabriella Avellino, William Berg, Priyanka Bearelly, Mark Sigman, Zhijin Wu, Daniel J Spade","doi":"10.1111/andr.70060","DOIUrl":"10.1111/andr.70060","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Approximately half of male factor infertility cases are idiopathic, indicating a need for new methods to supplement male fertility assessment.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The objective of this study was to identify differences in the sperm transcriptomes of men with different clinical fertility status. We hypothesized that sperm mRNA profiling could distinguish men presenting for fertility assessment from proven fertile men.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>We compared two groups of study participants: men who presented for infertility assessment (n = 53, \"infertility\"), and men without a history of infertility who had fathered a child and were presenting for vasectomy (n = 14, \"proven fertile\" control). Study participants provided a semen sample for semen analysis and sperm mRNA sequencing. Differentially abundant genes were identified, and a gene expression summary score was constructed to test the ability of RNA-seq data to differentiate between study populations.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The semen parameter that best differentiated between study populations was motility (area under the ROC curve = 0.746). In RNA-seq analysis, 1885 total differentially abundant transcripts were identified (q < 0.05, fold difference ≥ 2), 1004 (53.3%) of which were downregulated in infertility study participants. The Gene Ontology term, spermatogenesis, was enriched, with 40 out of 44 differentially abundant genes downregulated in infertility study participants. A gene expression summary score consisting of 100 upregulated and 100 downregulated genes was able to differentiate between the two groups of study participants.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Sperm mRNAs differed between proven fertile and infertility study men. Known fertility-associated genes, including PRM1 and PRM2, and potentially novel fertility markers, including HOOK1 and SPATA6, were downregulated in infertility study samples. Future studies should test these results for reproducibility and test whether novel biomarker candidates can provide mechanistic information about etiologies of idiopathic male infertility.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our results support the hypothesis that sperm mRNA abundance differs by clinical fertility status.</p>","PeriodicalId":7898,"journal":{"name":"Andrology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12354147/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143959959","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Diffusion tensor imaging and fiber tractography of the epididymis in men with non-obstructive azoospermia.","authors":"Christina K Bougia, Loukas G Astrakas, Vasileios Maliakas, Nikolaos Sofikitis, Maria I Argyropoulou, Athina C Tsili","doi":"10.1111/andr.70057","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/andr.70057","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Scrotal magnetic resonance imaging, including diffusion tensor imaging and fiber tractography has emerged as a valuable, non-invasive method in the evaluation of non-obstructive azoospermia. The epididymis has a crucial role in male infertility.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To evaluate the role of diffusion tensor imaging and fiber tractography of the epididymis in the work-up of non-obstructive azoospermia.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>This prospective study included 22 men with non-obstructive azoospermia and 15 controls. Scrotal magnetic resonance imaging, including diffusion tensor imaging, was performed. The epididymal apparent diffusion coefficient and fractional anisotropy were measured. Fiber tractography reconstructions were created. Non-parametric statistics compared apparent diffusion coefficient and fractional anisotropy of the epididymis between: (1) non-obstructive azoospermia and normal men; (2) histologic phenotypes of non-obstructive azoospermia; (3) non-obstructive azoospermia men, with positive and negative sperm retrieval; and (4) non-obstructive azoospermia men, with idiopathic and non-genetic etiology. Visual assessment of the epididymal fiber tracts was performed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Lower epididymal fractional anisotropy (p = 0.027) was observed in men with non-obstructive azoospermia in comparison to normal population. Fractional anisotropy decreased (p = 0.033) in cases with idiopathic non-obstructive azoospermia in comparison to men with non-genetic etiology. Fiber tractography showed abnormalities in epididymal fiber tracts in men with non-obstructive azoospermia, including decrease in number and/or thickness and disorganization. However, diffusion tensor imaging parameters were unable to differentiate the histologic types of non-obstructive azoospermia and to predict the results of sperm retrieval (p > 0.05).</p><p><strong>Discussion and conclusion: </strong>Our preliminary observations showed that diffusion tensor imaging and fiber tractography of the epididymis provide valuable, non-invasive biomarkers in the work-up of non-obstructive azoospermia, although the clinical significance of these findings is yet to be determined. However, diffusion tensor imaging data were not predictive for the presence of spermatozoa before microdissection testicular sperm extraction.</p>","PeriodicalId":7898,"journal":{"name":"Andrology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144061805","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Night work during pregnancy and risk of cryptorchidism among male offspring: A Danish nationwide register-based cohort study.","authors":"Charlotte Bertelsen, Luise Mølenberg Begtrup, Paula E C Hammer, Jens Peter Ellekilde Bonde, Anne Helene Garde, Ina Olmer Specht, Johnni Hansen, Esben Flachs Meulengracht, Camilla Sandal Sejbæk","doi":"10.1111/andr.70055","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/andr.70055","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim: </strong>The aim was to investigate the association between night work during pregnancy and the risk of having a male offspring with cryptorchidism. Furthermore, we explored if the risk of cryptorchidism increased based on trimester-specific night work (gestational weeks 1-12 and 13-22) by sensitivity analyses.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This register-based cohort study was based on detailed objective working hour data for all employees in the five Danish regions (primarily hospital employees) between 2007 and 2015, retrieved from the Danish Working Hour Database (DWDH). Information on pregnancies and covariates was identified by linking DWDH with the Danish Medical Birth Register. Diagnoses of cryptorchidism were obtained from the Danish National Patient Register. We used logistic regression to investigate the association between different dimensions of night work during the first 32 pregnancy weeks and cryptorchidism. The adjusted models included maternal age, body mass index, socioeconomic position, and maternal smoking.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The final cohort consisted of 12,915 singleton pregnancies in 11,404 women (primarily nurses), who worked at least one night shift during the first 32 pregnancy weeks. None of the dimensions of night work was associated with an increased risk of having offspring with cryptorchidism compared to day workers. We found the same tendency in the trimester-specific analyses.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>We found no increased odds among women working night shifts in healthcare during pregnancy and giving birth to male offspring with cryptorchidism. Future studies investigating night work in occupations other than healthcare are needed to rule out a potential association.</p>","PeriodicalId":7898,"journal":{"name":"Andrology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143962384","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}