Table 1 Characteristics of the eligible studies included in the meta-analysis
References | Study design | Town/Country | Diagnosis of U.U | Examined population | Age (years) | Outcomes/variables measured |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aghazarian et al., 2024 [26] | Cross-sectional | Hietzing, Austria | Culture based method | UU (n = 27), two ≥ 2 pathogenic species (n = 28), Gardnerella Vaginalis (n = 15), gram-positive cocci and bacilli (n = 15), gram-negative (n = 10) and Chlamydia trachomatis (n = 2). One control group (n = 20) and one leukocytospermic group (n = 10) | Sperm concentration, progressive motility, total motility, sperm count, vitality, normal morphology, leukocyte, IL- 6 | |
Al-Daghistani & Abdel-Dayem, 2010 [27] | Cross-sectional | Jordan | PCR | infertile patients: 99 Fertile control: 21 | Progressive motility, sperm count | |
AL-SWEIH, et al., 2012 [28] | Cross-sectional | Kuwait | PCR | 127 infertile and 188 fertile men | Seminal volume, pH, sperm concentration, vitality, total progressive motility category [a + b], rapid progressive motility category [a], morphology (normal forms), and white blood cell (WBC) counts | |
Andrade-Rocha, 2003 [29] | Cross-sectional | ?? Brazil | Culture based | 234 | 17 to 60 yrs | Sperm count, viability, progressive motility, total motility, normal morphology |
Bai et al., 2021 [30] | Cross-sectional | China | Flow-through hybridization technique using the STD (sexually trans- mitted disease) 6 Geno Array Diagnostic kit | LCS: 88 Non-LCS:107 | 32.4 ± 6.9 and 31.6 ± 5.8 years | Semen volume, concentration, progressive motility, total motility, normal morphology, leukocytes, AsAs |
Gdoura et al., 2007 [31] | Cross-sectional | Tunisia | PCR | Pos: 18 Neg: 102 | 26- 58 | Volume, pH, concentration, total progressive motility, rapid progressive motility, morphology, leukocyte count |
Golshani et al., 2007 [32] | Cross-sectional | Iran | PCR | Total 200 CT 18 MH 22 UU 6 MH, CT 14 MH, UU 2 UU, CT 2 CT, MH, UU 2 Neg 134 | 20- 50 | Volume, pH, concentration, rapid progressive motility, slow progressive motility, non-progressive Motility, non-motile, abnormal morphology, leukocytospermia |
Karthikeyan et al., 2021 [33] | Cross-sectional | India | PCR | PCR + : 8 PCR-: 40 | 32–38.75 | Volume, concentration, total motility, progressive motility, immotility, normal forms |
Huang et al., 2015 [34] | Cross-sectional | China | Mycoplasma IST (rapid detection) | 19,098 semen specimens from infertile 3368 semen specimens’ control | 23–44 years patient 20–35 years control | Volume, pH, sperm concentration, PR, total motility, normal morphology, sperm count/TMC |
Le et al., 2020 [35] | Cross-sectional | Vietnam | PCR | Pos: 61 Neg: 319 | 20- 45 | pH, volume, concentration, sperm PR Motility, normal morphology, sperm vitality |
Liu et al., 2014 [36] | Cross-sectional | ?? China | Rapid detection | 621 infertile and 615 fertile men | Volume, sperm concentration, total motility, PR, vitality, sperm count | |
Liu et al., 2022a [17] | Cross-sectional and longitudinal | Guangdong, China | Culture-based method | Patient:104 Control: 236 | 21 ~ 46 years | Semen volume, pH, concentration, immotility, VCL: curvilinear velocity; VSL: straight-line (rectilinear) velocity; VAP: average path velocity |
Liu et al., 2022b [18] | Cross-sectional and longitudinal | Guangdong, China | Culture-based method | 198 normal semen samples (control group) and 198 UU-infected semen samples | 20 to 45 years | men volume, pH, viscosity, liquefaction time, sperm concentration, and sperm motility [progressive motility (PR), Seminal PMN elastase |
Moretti et al., 2009 [37] | Cross-sectional | ?? Italy | Transmission electron microscopy, culture | Control: 20 E. faecalis (70) E. coli (46) S. agalactiae (33) U. urealyticum (28) S.epidermidis (24) S. anginosus (21) M. morganii (8) | Control 22- 35 | Volume, sperm number, motility, fertility index, apoptosis, necrosis, immaturity |
Paira et al., 2023 [11] | Cross-sectional | ?? Argentina | PCR | 212 males | 18 to 50 yr | IL- 8, TNF, IL- 1β, IL- 6, IFNγ, IL- 10, and IL- 17 A concentration |
Peerayeh et al., 2008 [38] | Cross-sectional | Iran | PCR | Varicocele + 81 Varicocele – 65 Healthy 100 | 21 − 50 Control (20- 40) | Volume, motility, sperm count, morphology |
Pendas et al., 2013 [39] | Cross-sectional | La Havana | Culture-based | 140 men | 20- 45 years | Volume, sperm concentration, motility, morphology, leukocyte count |
Qing et al., 2017 [40] | Cross-sectional | China | PCR | Uninfected 957 CT C. trachomatis only 27 MG M. genitalium only 51 NG N. gonorrhoeae only 6 UU U. urealyticum only 1418 Mixed infection 148 | Concentration, volume, PR, normal morphology, DFI, HDS | |
Xianchun et al., 2023 [12] | Cross-sectional | China | PCR | U. urealyticum infection (n = 328), (ii) non-U. urealyticum infection n = 377), and (iii) normal volumeunteers n = 359) | 22—30 | Semen volume, density, activation rate, forward movement, survival rate, normal sperm morphology, pH; liquefaction time, density, non-forward, in active, VAP, VCL, ALH,BCF, VSL, motility, WOB, LIN, STR, viscosity |
Zeighami et al., 2007 [41] | Cross-sectional | ?? Iran | PCR | Infertile 100 Control 100 | ?? | Volume, motility, sperm count, morphology, |
Zeighami et al., 2009 [42] | Cross-sectional | Iran | PCR | Infertile 100 Control 100 | Control 20–40 Patient 21–50 | Volume, motility, sperm count, morphology, |
Zhang et al., 2020 [43] | Cross-sectional and longitudinal | China | Non- leukocytospermia group 1235 Leukocytospermia group 295 UU-negative leukocytospermia group 200 UU-positive leukocytospermia group 95 | 29–37 yrs | Semen volume, pH, concentration, PR, total motility, normal morphology | |
Zinzendorf et al., 2008 [44] | Cross-sectional | Côte d’Ivoire | Culture based | 1 058 semen samples | 23–51 years | Volume, viscosity, liquefaction, pH, motility, morphology, concentration, leuckocyte count |