Table 2. Main outcomes and adverse events of randomized controlled trials of antibiotics for the treatment of leukocytospermia in male infertility.
| First author (year) | Outcomes (follow-up: day) | Main results | Adverse events |
|---|---|---|---|
| Backer (1984) [10] | Sperm parameters (30) | Significant improvement of sperm motility | NR |
| Comhaire (1986) [11] | 1) Sperm parameters (30, 60, 180) | 1) Significant improvement of sperm motility | NR |
| 2) Leukocytospermia (30, 60, 180) | 2) Significant improvement of leukocytospermia | ||
| 3) Semen culture (30, 60, 180) | 3) Significant decrease of seminal bacteria | ||
| 4) Pregnancy | 4) 2/20 in group A (1 in 5th and 1 in 7th month after intervention) vs. 1/13 in group B (5th month after intervention) | ||
| Branigan (1994) [12] | 1) Leukocytospermia (30, 90) | 1) Significant improvement in all treatment groups at 1 Only group C had significant improvement at 3 months | NR |
| 2) Pregnancy (90) | 2) 10 pregnancy (2 in A, 3 in B, 4 in C, 1 in D) | ||
| Merino (1995) [13] | Sperm parameters (30) | Significant difference in semen pH in group A | None |
| Yanushpolsky (1995) [15] | 1) Sperm parameters (30) | 1) NS | A. Nausea/diarrhea (2) |
| 2) Leukocytospermia (30) | 2) NS | B. Hypersensitivity (2), gastrointestinal upset (1) | |
| Yamamoto (1995) [14] | 1) Leukocytospermia (30, 60, 90) | 1) Significantly greater resolution of leukocytospermia in treated than untreated group | NR |
| 2) Pregnancy (90) | 2) 5/33 (treated) vs. 1/15 (untreated) | ||
| Lewis-Jones (1996) [16] | 1) Sperm parameters (90) | 1) Significant improvement of sperm motility, morphology | NR |
| 2) Leukocytospermia (90) | 2) Significant decrease of leukocyte count | ||
| Erel (1997) [17] | 1) Sperm parameters (30) | 1) NS in sperm parameters | NR |
| 2) Leukocytospermia (30) | 2) No significant reduction in leukocyte concentration | ||
| Carranza-Lira (1998) [18] | Sperm parameters (74) | Morphology: decrease in the number of normal sperm in group A | NR |
| Vicari (2000) [19] | 1) Sperm parameters (30, 90, 180) | 1) Significant improvement on concentration and motility | A and B. dizziness, headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, or diarrhea (10) |
| 2) Leukocytospermia (30, 90, 180) | 2) Significant resolution of leukocytospermia | ||
| 3) ROS production (30, 90, 180) | 3) Significant reduction in treated group | ||
| 4) Semen culture (30, 90, 180) | 4) Significant improvement on bacteriologic cure | ||
| 5) Pregnancy (180) | 5) Significant improvement (24/85 [treated] vs. 2/37 [untreated]) | ||
| Krisp (2003) [20] | 1) Sperm parameters (30) | 1) NS | None |
| 2) Leukocytospermia (30) | 2) NS | ||
| 3) Semen culture (30) | 3) Significant decrease of seminal bacteria |
A,B,C,D: study group according to intervention (A~D of in this Table relate to the Table 1).
ROS: reactive oxygen species, NS: not significant, NR: not reported.