Prospective two‐arm study of the testicular function in patients with COVID‐19

• Published in: Andrology (Oxford) 2022-09, Vol.10 (6), p.1047-1056
• Main Authors: Enikeev, Dmitry, Taratkin, Mark, Morozov, Andrey, Petov, Vladislav, Korolev, Dmitry, Shpikina, Anastasia, Spivak, Leonid, Kharlamova, Svetlana, Shchedrina, Irina, Mestnikov, Oleg, Fiev, Dmitry, Ganzha, Timur, Geladze, Marina, Mambetova, Aichurok, Kogan, Evgenia, Zharkov, Nikolay, Demyashkin, Gregory, Shariat, Shahrokh F., Glybochko, Petr
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Autopsies; COVID-19; male fertility; Original; SARS‐CoV‐2; Sperm; Testes
• ISSN: 2047-2919; 2047-2927
• DOI: 10.1111/andr.13159

Background The COVID‐19 pandemic has led the international community to conduct extensive research into potential negative effects of the disease on multiple organs and systems in the human body. One of the most discussed areas is potential of the virus to compromise the testicular function. However, the lack of prospective studies on this topic makes it impossible to draw reliable conclusions on whether the disease affects the male reproductive system and, if so, to what extent. Objectives The current trial is aimed at investigating the effect of SARS‐CoV‐2 on the testicular function, hormone levels and determining the extent of impact on spermatogenesis and damage to testicular tissue. Materials and methods This prospective study included healthy controls and cases of patients suffering from viral pneumonia based on chest computed tomography (CT) and a positive SARS‐CoV‐2 throat swab exhibited moderate symptoms (World Health Organization (WHO) classification). Epidemiological, clinical, laboratory and ultrasound data were collected. A semen analysis was performed in cases during their hospital stay and 3 months after the discharge home. We also assessed the testicles obtained during autopsies of patients who died of COVID‐19 (n = 20). Results A total of 88 participants were included (44 controls and 44 cases). Blood testosterone levels were significantly decreased in 27.3% of the cases (12/44). The mean level (7.3±2.7 nmol/L) was lower than that in the healthy controls (13.5±5.2 nmol/L, p