Is Oxidative Stress a Missing Piece in Varicocele Related Infertility Puzzle?—A Meta-Analytic Approach

Abstract

Varicocele is one of the leading causes of male infertility present in almost 40% of infertile males. Controversy surrounds the exact cause of spermatozoal dysfunction in infertile varicocele patients. Recent understanding of the role of oxidative stress and free radicals in male reproduction has led some researchers to postulate oxidative stress as the possible cause of spermatozoal dysfunction in varicocele patients. The objective of our study was to carefully examine all published literature on the role of oxidative stress in patients with varicocele as the etiology of their infertility.