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Background: Remarkably, the current study is one of the first to deploy galectin-1 (Gal-1) in determining the degree of impairment of spermatogenesis among cases with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) as well as utilizing it as a biomarker to predict the rate of sperm retrieval in these patients. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the seminal plasma and serum levels of Gal-1 in NOA patients as well as their correlations with Johnsen’s tubular biopsy scoring (JTBS). Methods: The current case control study included totally 48 patients with NOA whose ages ranged from 24 to 46 years old and 50 age matched healthy controls. Gal-1 levels were measured in both seminal plasma and serum of all subjects by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: A significant negative correlation between seminal plasma levels of Gal-1 and JTBS was detected (r= -0.281, p=0.048) in the NOA cases. Interestingly, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve had demonstrated that the cutoff value of seminal plasma levels of Gal-1 in determining azoospermia was >0.735 ng/ml and the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.858. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive, and negative predictive values for seminal plasma levels of Gal-1 were 76, 92, 90.5, and 79.3, respectively. In addition, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive, and negative predictive values for serum levels of Gal-1 were 38, 66, 52.8, and 51.6, respectively. Conclusion: Seminal plasma levels of Gal-1 are higher in NOA men versus healthy controls. Interestingly, negative correlation of seminal plasma levels of Gal-1 with JTBS was determined. Thus, it can be used as a good predictor for NOA cases.

Background Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) among females with hypertension (HTN) is frequently overlooked, with a reported prevalence of 42.1%. Objectives We aimed to determine the impact of beta-blockers (BBs), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers (ACEIs/ARBs), and thiazides on sexual function in hypertensive females. Methods A prospective randomized controlled trial enrolled 125 female participants. Group (1) included 25 normotensive females serving as the controls. Groups (2) and (3) consisted of 50 controlled and uncontrolled hypertensive patients who received BBs, respectively. Groups (4) and (5) consisted of 50 patients with controlled and uncontrolled HTN who received ACIs/ARBs, respectively. Each group consisted of patients who received one tablet daily of ramipril 2.5 mg for one month, while the other half received one tablet daily of valsartan (VAL) 80 mg for the same duration. After one month, the subjects were transitioned to a daily regimen of one tablet of ramipril 2.5 mg combined with hydrochlorothiazide 12.5 mg, as well as one tablet of VAL 80 mg with hydrochlorothiazide 12.5 mg for two months, respectively. Results Controlled and uncontrolled hypertensive patients receiving ACEIs/ARBs, as well as controlled hypertensive patients receiving BBs, demonstrated a significant decrease in serum total testosterone and free testosterone levels, accompanied by a significant increase in estradiol after 3 months. Furthermore, controlled and uncontrolled hypertensive patients receiving ACEI/ARBs showed significant increases in all female sexual function (FSF) domains and total FSF scores after 3 months. Consistently, controlled hypertensive patients receiving BBs showed significant improvements across all domains of the validated Arabic version of the female sexual function index (ArFSFI) and the total score, comparable to the ACEI/ARB groups, except for pain. Conversely, uncontrolled hypertensive patients receiving BBs demonstrated significant increases in scores for desire and arousal and orgasm and satisfaction after 3 months. After three months, there was a significant reduction in the GAD-7 scores among all hypertensive patients. Conclusion ACEIs/ARBs demonstrated a favorable effect on FSF. Future large-scale cohort studies are warranted to validate these findings as this study was a single center and of small sample size.

This study aimed to screen healthy individuals who contracted COVID‐19 for erectile dysfunction (ED) and to determine the potential risk factors that can predict ED in these individuals. One hundred and seven cases versus 90 controls agreed to participate in the study. Two structured interviews with 1 month interval were conducted. All participants were evaluated by the validated Arabic version of the international index of erectile function (IIEF‐5) and assessment of the psychological state by Hamilton depression rating scale (HDRS). Interestingly, the study had demonstrated a significant difference in mean testosterone level between cases and controls (3.91 ± 2.31, 5.04 ± 2.22, p < 0.001 respectively). Additionally, the study had demonstrated a significant difference in mean IIEF‐5 score between cases and controls (22.63 ± 2.79, 23.54 ± 1.26, p < 0.041 respectively). Moreover, there were significant differences in mean anxiety and stress scores of the cases before and after COVID‐19 (4.95 ± 4.03, 6.19 ± 3.55, p = 0.022, 12.75 ± 9.98, 15.30 ± 7.42, p = 0.024 respectively). A multiple logistic regression model for predicting ED occurrence post‐COVID‐19 had revealed that smoking, baseline IIEF‐5 score and COVID‐19 severity (p = 0.022, p = 0.017, p = 0.021, p = 0.009, p = 0.008 respectively) were the only significant independent variables.

Background Irisin is an exercise-induced myokine that alleviates endothelial dysfunction and reduces insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The current study aimed to assess the serum level of irisin in T2DM men with erectile dysfunction (ED) compared to T2DM patients with normal erectile function and healthy controls, as well as investigate the association between serum irisin level and the severity of ED in T2DM patients. Patients and methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on 90 males, divided into three groups: 32 T2DM patients with ED, 24 T2DM patients without ED, and 34 healthy controls. Socio-demographic characteristics and scores of the validated Arabic version of the international Index of Erectile Function-5 (ArIIEF-5), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) were obtained. Furthermore, routine laboratory tests employed for diabetes monitoring and serum levels of total testosterone and irisin were assessed within these groups. Results T2DM men with ED had significantly lower serum levels of irisin and testosterone, as well as a lower ArIIEF-5 score, but their GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores were significantly higher than those without ED or controls (p < 0.001). Among T2DM men, serum irisin levels positively associated with ArIIEF-5 scores and serum testosterone (r = 0.413, p = 0.002; r = 0.936, p < 0.001, respectively) but negatively associated with glycosylated hemoglobin levels (r = -0.377, p = 0.004). Multivariate regression analysis to predict ED in T2DM patients found that GAD-7 score was the only most significant predictor for ED (ꞵ = − 1.176, standard error = 0.062, p < 0.001). Conclusion The current study had demonstrated that irisin positively correlated with the ArIIEF-5 and serum testosterone but negatively correlated with HbA1c in T2DM men. Nevertheless, further validation of these findings is necessary through cohort studies.

Background To the best of our knowledge, there is a gap in the review of literature about the most suitable varicocelectomy technique in isolating and ligating adherent periarterial vein(s). Consequently, leaving the artery intact or ligating it together with the adherent vein may pose a challenge. We conducted a comparative prospective study to assess the outcomes of the three techniques namely Fisch, sclerotherapy and microvaricoclectomy (MSV). Results The patients who underwent MSV showed the longest operative time (66.29 ± 2.78 min), followed by Fisch technique (56.94 ± 3.07 min) then sclerotherapy (55.45 ± 1.99). Thus, the difference in the operative time between the three techniques was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Regarding the postoperative right vein diameter, MSV group showed the largest diameter (2.14 ± 0.15 mm), followed by Fisch technique (2.13 ± 0.15 mm) then sclerotherapy (1.75 ± 0.42 mm). Regarding the postoperative left vein diameter, MSV group showed again the largest diameter (2.17 ± 0.21 mm), followed by Fisch technique (2.14 ± 0.15 mm) then sclerotherapy (1.75 ± 0.42 mm). Moreover, the patients who underwent sclerotherapy showed the highest postoperative progressive sperm motility percent (25.27 ± 4.00%), followed by Fisch technique (21.56 ± 7.30%) then MSV group (19.85 ± 6.33%). Post hoc pair wise comparisons revealed that sclerotherapy and Fisch technique had a significantly higher effectiveness in reducing operative time than MSV. Additionally, it revealed that sclerotherapy technique had a significantly higher effectiveness in reducing postoperative vein diameters measurement than MSV and Fisch technique. Post hoc pair wise comparisons revealed that sclerotherapy technique had a significantly higher effectiveness in improving the postoperative progressive sperm motility percent than MSV. Patients who underwent the 3 techniques demonstrated statistically significant differences between baseline and post-operative vein diameter, reflux duration, sperm concentration, progressive sperm motility, progressive motile count/ejaculate and sperm abnormal forms. Conclusion The 3 techniques showed significant improvement in the semen parameters after 3 months in the studied patients. However, sclerotherapy technique showed a significantly higher effectiveness in improving the postoperative progressive sperm motility percent compared to MSV.

Background To date, there is a lack of studies conducted on males with secondary azoospermia as a potential cause of male infertility who had previously fathered children through natural conception. The current study aims to investigate the potential causes of secondary azoospermia as a presentation of male infertility as well as the prognostic factors that can impact sperm retrieval rate (SRR) while undergoing microdissection testicular sperm extraction (microTESE). Results Thirty two patients were recruited from the andrology outpatient clinic from August 2023 till January 2024. The mean age of the patients was sixty-two years old. All patients had varicoceles. Twenty seven patients (84%) had palpable varicocele grade 2 and 3 on both sides. Further multivariate logistic regression analysis of the significant factors in the univariate regression revealed that younger age (OR 0.7, 95% C.I. 0.7-1.0, p  = 0.03) and having a history of coronary artery disease (CAD) were predictable factors for negative TESE outcome (OR 123.1, 95% C.I. 3.2-4748.5, P  = 0.01). Conclusion It appears that the etiopathogenesis of secondary azoospermia are multifactorial. Varicocele and CAD are major factors to be considered. Future studies should be implemented deploying larger pools of patients suffering from the same condition to affirm the findings of this primary study.

PurposeThe purpose of the study was to compare serum level of folic acid (FA) in patients with erectile dysfunction (ED) versus healthy controls and to assess its correlation with other well-known confounders for ED.MethodsOur prospective study compared FA in 60 patients with ED versus 30 healthy controls. Patients were excluded if they had any hormonal disorders, Peyronie’s disease, or decompensated systemic illnesses. ED was evaluated by the validated Arabic version of the abbreviated five-item form of the International Index Of Erectile Function and confirmed by penile duplex. Serum FA level was assayed using ELIZA. Mann–Whitney, Kruskal–Wallis, and Chi-square tests and Spearman correlation were used as appropriate and confirmed by logistic regression model.ResultsOur study revealed that the median FA of the cases and the controls were 7.1 ng/mL and 13.4 ng/mL, respectively, and this difference was of high statistical significance (p < 0.001). Moreover, our study demonstrated significant relations between serum FA with DM, HTN, smoking, age, and cholesterol (p 0.01, 0.03, 0.014, 0.001, and 0.015, respectively). Our study showed that the best cut-off point of serum FA to detect patients with ED was found to be ≤ 9.42 with sensitivity of 80.00%, specificity of 93.33% and area under curve (AUC) of 91.3%.ConclusionSerum FA level decreased as the severity of ED increased even after adjustment of age, serum testosterone, DM, HTN, and smoking. FA deficiency might be an independent risk factor of ED.

Background: The purpose of the current study was evaluation of the utility of seminal plasma (SP) resistin and leptin in predicting successful surgical sperm retrieval (SSR) in men with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA). Methods: This prospective comparative study was conducted in the andrology clinic of a specialized fertility center. In total, 53 NOA men as candidates for either first time micro‐testicular sperm extraction (micro-TESE) or repeat micro-TESE and 28 normozoospermic controls were included. ELISA was used for measurement of SP resistin and leptin levels in all participants. Significance level was defined as p< 0.05.  Results: The current study demonstrated a significant positive correlation between estradiol (E2) level in serum and SP resistin (r=0.342, p=0.025). Also, there was a highly significant positive correlation between SP leptin and SP resistin (r=0.568, p= 0.001). Interestingly, SP leptin was the only variable that demonstrated a significant correlation with eventful micro-TESE outcome in men who underwent micro-TESE for the first time. Finally, ROC curve showed that SP leptin level of 4.05 ng/ml predicted successful SSR in men who underwent micro-TESE for the first time with a sensitivity of 73.3% and a specificity of 75% as 11 out of 27 (41%) cases showed eventful micro-TESE at or above this cut-off level [AUC of 0.747, 95% CI, lower bound of 0.555, and upper bound of 0.939, p=0.030]. Conclusion: SP leptin can be used as a non-invasive biomarker to predict successful SSR in NOA cases undergoing first time micro-TESE, while SP resistin failed to play the same role.

PurposeTo compare serum level of vitamin D [25(OH)D] in patients with life-long premature ejaculation (LPE) versus healthy controls.MethodsHealthy married potent males were recruited from February 2017 to January 2018. Group A included 40 patients suffering from LPE who were compared versus 40 healthy controls (Group B). Participants suffering from hormonal disorders, obesity, neurological, psychological, or chronic diseases or taking medications that may affect ejaculatory function, serum level of vitamin D, or the accuracy of intra-vaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT) were excluded. LPE was self-reported by the patients with subsequent feelings of frustration and measured by premature ejaculation diagnostic tool (PEDT) and IELT using stopwatch handled by their partners. 25(OH)D was measured by obtaining 2 ml of venous blood. Statistical analysis was performed using Student t, Mann–Whitney, Chi square tests, logistic regression analysis, and Spearman correlation.ResultsSixteen (20%) participants had vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency. All of them were in PE group. 25(OH)D correlated significantly with IELT (r2 = 0.349; p < 0.001) and PEDT (r2 = 0.425; p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in age (p = 0.341), BMI (p = 1) or IIEF-5 (p = 0.408) in both groups. 25(OH)D was significantly lower in patients than controls (35.75 vs. 58.92 ng/ml, p < 0.001). ROC analysis revealed that the best cut-off value of 25(OH)D to detect patients suffering from LPE was 50.65 ng/ml with a sensitivity and specificity of 85% for both. 25(OH)D remained a significant risk factor for LPE in the logistic regression analysis (p < 0.001).ConclusionsThe current study showed that vitamin D has significant association with LPE and correlates significantly with IELT and PEDT.

Purpose We aimed to evaluate the effect of cervical disc herniation (CDH) and lumbar disc herniation (LDH) on female sexual functioning before and after surgical intervention. Methods The current study was conducted from February 2022 to February 2023. A total of 100 sexually active female patients in their reproductive phase who were diagnosed with CDH and LDH based on physical examination and previous magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results, as well as 50 healthy females, were enrolled. The female subjects were evaluated using the validated Arabic version of the female sexual function index (ArFSFI), a 0 to 10 visual analogue scale (VAS), the Oswestry disability index (ODI) and Beck’s depression index (BDI). Results The baseline ArFSFI domains and total scores were greatest in the controls, followed by the CDH group. The ArFSFI domains and total scores were greatest in the control group, followed by the postoperative ArFSFI domains and total scores in the cervical group. The variations in satisfaction, pain, and overall ArFSFI ratings were significant across research groups. The difference in desire, arousal, lubrication, and orgasm was substantial in the lumbosacral group, but there were no significant changes between the cervical and control groups. Postoperatively, ArFSFI domains and overall scores improved in both of the cervical and lumbar groups. Both research groups’ ODI score and grade improved after surgery. Finally, both groups’ BDI score and grade improved after surgery. Conclusion Female sexual dysfunctions caused by CDH and LDH improved considerably after surgery.