Prevalence and awareness of varicocele among athletes in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Awareness of testicular swelling among young adults in Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study

Background

Testicular masses can be a sign of various medical problems, ranging from acute emergencies such as testicular torsion to chronic illnesses such as cancer. Therefore, examinations, including self-examinations, are an important procedure for diagnosis and treatment, which can help prevent complications such as loss of fertility.

Aims

The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of awareness about scrotal swelling among adult men in Saudi Arabia.

Materials and Methods

A cross-sectional survey was administered to 3502 males, aged 18-50 years, from August 2021 to March 2022.

Results

A total of 3502 participants from different regions of Saudi Arabia responded to our survey over 43 days, from August 21, 2021 to October 3, 2021. Unmarried, Master's/PhD graduated male, showed a high level of knowledge and attitude toward testicular swelling.

Conclusion

The prevalence of cases of scrotal swelling, coupled with the lack of reporting or immediate intervention, was one of the reasons for the lack of research about this subject. The study notices several factors which impacted on participants' awareness of scrotal swelling and the risks it poses. The results also emphasized the importance of self-examination in respect to the avoidance of complications such as testicular cancer.

Efficacy of antioxidant therapy on sperm quality measurements after varicocelectomy: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Antioxidants were proved to be efficient to improve the quality of spermatozoa after varicocelectomy. We carried out a systematic review and performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of antioxidant therapy in sperm parameters' quality after varicocelectomy during 3 or 6 months' treatment cycle. During research, randomised controlled trials were searched by MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, and necessary parameters were compared between two groups after varicocelectomy. Finally, six studies including 576 patients were included in our meta-analysis. As for sperm parameters, significant improvements of sperm concentration (p < .0001), sperm motility (p = .03), progressive sperm motility (p < .00001) and sperm morphology (p < .00001) were existed in antioxidant group 3 months after varicocelectomy. With regard to the 6 months' outcomes, sperm parameters were improved as well except sperm motility (p = .72) and progressive sperm motility (p = .57). Referring to pregnancy rate, no significant difference was existed between two groups (p = .36), and the FSH level of antioxidant group was lower than placebo group 3 or 6 months after varicocelectomy (3 months, p = .02; 6 months, p = .03). In conclusion, compared with the placebo, the antioxidant therapy after varicocelectomy can improve the quality of sperm parameters and construct a favourable living condition for spermatozoa by reducing FSH level.