Male Infertility Linked to Elevated risk of Morbidity and Mortality

In a recent systematic review and meta-analysis, a robust connection has been established between male infertility and a higher susceptibility to various health complications and mortality. The study was published in the European Urology Focus.

Utilizing data from PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and Cochrane databases, researchers compared outcomes for infertile versus fertile men. The results, represented in forest plots and quasi-individual patient data meta-analysis, revealed compelling insights. Infertile men exhibited a notable 37% increase in the risk of death from any cause (hazard risk [HR] 1.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04–1.81, p = 0.027). This elevated risk translated to a 30-year survival probability of 91.0% (95% CI 89.6–92.4%) for infertile men, in contrast to 95.9% (95% CI 95.3–96.4%) for their fertile counterparts (p < 0.001).

The study further identified substantial elevated risks in relation to specific diseases. The risk of being diagnosed with testis cancer was 86% higher in infertile men (relative risk [RR] 1.86, 95% CI 1.41–2.45, p < 0.001), while risks of melanoma and prostate cancer also exhibited significant increases (RR 1.30, 95% CI 1.08–1.56, p = 0.006; RR 1.66, 95% CI 1.06–2.61, p < 0.001, respectively).