The effects of surgical interventions on sperm DNA fragmentation: a systematic review and meta-analysis

• Grant number: 22/10435-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2023
• End date: December 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Renato Fraietta
• Grantee: Ana Beatriz Ramos Antiqueira
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

A natural reproduction can be influenced by several factors. The fragmentation of DNA is known to be one of the changes in sperm that impairs the fertile potential of men affected by this condition. This fragmentation can be caused by both extrinsic and intrinsic factors. Oxidative stress is one of the most important of them. Despite reactive oxygen species (ROS) are essential for the physiology of the human body, they can cause negative consequences in excess. Some diseases can cause testicular damages such as varicocele, testicular tumors and obesity. Such conditions can result in increased spermatic DNA fragmentation. However, there are surgical interventions that aim to reverse these afections and consequently the damage caused by them. The surgery known as varicocelectomy is performed to correct varicocele; for removal of testicular tumors, orchiectomy; and bariatric surgery can be done to reverse obesity. Therefore, the aim of this study is to assess whether such surgical procedures are effective in reducing the spermatic DNA fragmentation of men with these conditions. Thus, studies whose population includes men who had their seminal sample studied before and after the surgical intervention will be analyzed. The intention is to systematically assess if there was an improvement in the levels of sperm DNA fragmentation after the surgery, compiling the real effects obtained in a literature review. At the end, a numerical analysis of the data will be performed, through a meta-analysis.