BACKGROUND: The impact of gr/gr deletions on male fertility is unclear. These partial deletions of the AZFc region of the Y chromosome have been detected more frequently in infertile patients. However, few individual studies have demonstrated a statistically significant association. This study aims to quantify the strength of association between gr/gr deletions and male infertility, and to explore potential sources of heterogeneity, including ethnicity and geographical location. METHODS: Medline was searched up to 31 December 2009 for full articles investigating the prevalence of gr/gr deletions in infertile and control men. A pooled odds ratio (OR) was estimated by a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was assessed by the Cochran's Q test, and quantified by I(2) statistic. RESULTS: A total of 18 case-control studies, including 6388 cases and 6011 controls, met our inclusion criteria and showed that gr/gr deletions were present in 6.86% of cases and 4.69% of controls. The association between gr/gr deletions and infertility was significant (P < 0.001), with a pooled random-effects OR of 1.76 (1.21-2.66) for infertile men versus normozoospermic controls (13 studies). The test for heterogeneity among studies yielded a Q test P = 0.089 with I(2) value of 37%, indicating moderate heterogeneity. The association between gr/gr deletions and infertility was dependent on ethnicity and geographic region. CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis comprising >12 000 men demonstrates that gr/gr deletions occur more frequently in infertile than control men. The association between gr/gr deletions and infertility varies according to ethnicity and geographic region, with an association reaching significance among Caucasian men, in Europe and the Western Pacific region.
BACKGROUND: The impact of gr/gr deletions on male fertility is unclear. These partial deletions of the AZFc region of the Y chromosome have been detected more frequently in infertilepatients. However, few individual studies have demonstrated a statistically significant association. This study aims to quantify the strength of association between gr/gr deletions and male infertility, and to explore potential sources of heterogeneity, including ethnicity and geographical location. METHODS: Medline was searched up to 31 December 2009 for full articles investigating the prevalence of gr/gr deletions in infertile and control men. A pooled odds ratio (OR) was estimated by a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was assessed by the Cochran's Q test, and quantified by I(2) statistic. RESULTS: A total of 18 case-control studies, including 6388 cases and 6011 controls, met our inclusion criteria and showed that gr/gr deletions were present in 6.86% of cases and 4.69% of controls. The association between gr/gr deletions and infertility was significant (P < 0.001), with a pooled random-effects OR of 1.76 (1.21-2.66) for infertilemen versus normozoospermic controls (13 studies). The test for heterogeneity among studies yielded a Q test P = 0.089 with I(2) value of 37%, indicating moderate heterogeneity. The association between gr/gr deletions and infertility was dependent on ethnicity and geographic region. CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis comprising >12 000 men demonstrates that gr/gr deletions occur more frequently in infertile than control men. The association between gr/gr deletions and infertility varies according to ethnicity and geographic region, with an association reaching significance among Caucasian men, in Europe and the Western Pacific region.
Authors: F Sciarra; M Pelloni; F Faja; F Pallotti; G Martino; A F Radicioni; A Lenzi; F Lombardo; D Paoli Journal: J Endocrinol Invest Date: 2018-11-29 Impact factor: 4.256
Authors: Ewa Wiland; Alexander N Yatsenko; Archana Kishore; Halina Stanczak; Agata Zdarta; Marcin Ligaj; Marta Olszewska; Jan Karol Wolski; Maciej Kurpisz Journal: Reprod Biomed Online Date: 2015-05-07 Impact factor: 3.828