Background: Whether statins can reduce the incidence of cancers has been an interesting topic in recent years. This meta-analysis aimed to determine the relationship between statin treatment with the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods: Studies published up to July 2019 were screened from databases. The data from approved studies were pooled. Random-effects or fixed-effects model was used to calculate the relative risk with 95% CIs in the overall group and subgroups. Sensitivity and meta-regression analyses were performed, and publication bias was evaluated. Results: A total of 18 studies involving 1 611 596 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The overall result showed a significantly reduced risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (relative risk = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.42-0.66) in statin users. In comparison to the risk in nonstatin users, the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma was reduced in all subgroups. The dose of statins and their pharmacokinetics can partly explain the heterogeneity in the overall meta-analysis ( I 2 = 94.6%, P = .000). A dose-dependent effect of statin use for the reduced risk of hepatocellular carcinoma was found. Conclusions: Findings from this meta-analysis support that statin use can significantly reduce the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Purpose. To evaluate the clinical efficacy of prodom in the administration of urokinase in the vagina in couples with impaired semen liquefaction. Materials and Methods. Overall, 261 patients with impaired semen liquefaction were randomly divided into prodom-assisted urokinase treatment (PAUT) group ( n = 91 ), syringe-assisted urokinase treatment (SAUT) group ( n = 86 ), and traditional treatment (TT) group ( n = 84 ) in the first stage. If the first stage of treatment failed, other treatment methods were initiated instead and the patients were grouped according to the newer treatment method in the second stage. The pregnancy rate, time-to-conception, and treatment costs were evaluated in each group. Results. In the first stage, the pregnancy rate in the PAUT, SAUT, and TT groups was 69.23%, 29.07%, and 22.62%, respectively; the time-to-conception was 2.66 ± 1.44 , 3.69 ± 2.61 , and 3.86 ± 3.00 months, respectively; the treatment costs were 658.18 ± 398.40 , 666.67 ± 507.50 , and 680.56 ± 480.94 $, respectively. The pregnancy rate and time-to-conception were different in the PAUT group compared with those in SAUT and TT groups (all P < 0.05 ). However, the difference in treatment costs was not significant ( P = 0.717 ). In the second stage, 154 nonpregnant patients were divided into nine treatment groups, and the effects of changing TT to PAUT on the pregnancy rate, time-to-conception, and treatment costs were observed to be different from those of other treatments (all P < 0.05 ). Conclusion. Prodom-assisted urokinase can effectively treat male infertility secondary to impaired semen liquefaction.

Background At present, L-carnitine (LC) and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), as used clinically to treat male infertility caused by asthenozoospermia (ASZ) is still mainly administered orally, but some patients with ASZ still show no significant improvement in sperm motility and spouse pregnancy rate. Prodom is a device used to assist reproduction, which is temporarily fitted onto the penis to facilitate conception by helping the wife inject a certain drug into the vagina. This study used Prodom-assisted LC/CoQ10 in the treatment of patients with ASZ and evaluated the effect of this method on sperm motility and clinical pregnancy, with the goal of finding a comfortable, low-cost, effective method. Results During the trial period, 232 cases completed the trial, while 25 cases did not. During in vitro testing, the progressive sperm motility in the LC group, CoQ10 group, LC combined with CoQ10 group, and the semen blank control group was 24.3 ± 4.6% and 38.1 ± 5.1%, 23.0 ± 4.8% and 36.9 ± 4.4%, 28.4 ± 5.0% and 43.8 ± 5.4%, 19.7 ± 4.4% and 26.0 ± 4.9%, respectively. There were statistically significant differences in progressive sperm motility among the groups (all P values < 0.05). The pregnancy rates of the Prodom-assisted LC treatment group, Prodom-assisted CoQ10 treatment group, Prodom-assisted LC combined with CoQ10 treatment group, and oral LC combined with CoQ10 treatment group in the clinical treatment stage were 38.2, 35.4, 57.1, and 30.3%, respectively; the time to conception was 6.1 ± 1.8, 6.2 ± 1.8, 3.4 ± 0.9, and 7.9 ± 2.0, months respectively; and the treatment costs were $2350 ± 457, $2455 ± 434, $1348 ± 411, and $2684 ± 334, respectively. The differences in pregnancy rate, time to conception, and treatment costs among the groups were statistically significant (all P values < 0.05). Conclusions The supplementation of in vitro semen with LC/CoQ10 can improve sperm motility. LC/CoQ10 injected into the spouse’s vagina with the assistance of a Prodom can increase the pregnancy rate, shorten the time to conception, and reduce the cost of treatment in patients with ASZ. Trial registration ChiCTR2000040349 (registry: http://www.chictr.org.cn/). Date of registration: November 28, 2020.

Background The ischiocavernosus muscle (ICM) encompasses a pair of short pinnate muscles attached to the pelvic ring. The ICM begins at the ischial tuberosity and ends at the crus of the penis while covering the surface of the crus. According to the traditional view, the contraction of the ICM plays an auxiliary role in penile erection. However, we have previously shown that the ICM plays an important role in penile erection through an indirect method of diagnosing erectile dysfunction (ED) caused by ICM injury by observing the infertility of paired female rats. Since intracavernosal pressure (ICP) is the current gold standard for diagnosing ED, this study aimed to amputate unilaterally/bilaterally the ICM to establish an ED model by detecting the ICP, recording the infertility of matching female rats, and comparing the two methods. Results Forty sexually mature adult male rats were selected and randomly divided into the following groups: the control group (n = 10), sham operation group (n = 10), unilateral ischiocavernosus muscle (Uni-ICM) amputation group (n = 10), and bilateral ischiocavernosus muscle (Bi-ICM) amputation group (n = 10). Eighty female reproductive rats were randomly assigned to the above groups at a ratio of 2:1. We evaluated the time to conception for the paired female rats and the effects of unilateral/bilateral severing of the ICM on erectile function. The results showed that the baseline and maximum intracavernosal pressure (ICP) in the control group, sham operation group, Uni-ICM amputation group, and Bi-ICM amputation group were 17.44±2.50 mmHg and 93.51±10.78 mmHg, 17.81±2.81 mmHg and 95.07±10.40 mmHg, 16.73±2.11 mmHg and 83.49±12.38 mmHg, and 14.78±2.78 mmHg and 33.57±6.72 mmHg, respectively, immediately postsurgery. The max ICP in the Bi-ICM amputation group was lower than that in the remaining three groups (all P<0.05). The pregnancy rates were 100, 100, 90, and 0% in the control group, sham operation group, Uni-ICM amputation group, and the Bi-ICM amputation group, respectively. The pregnancy rate in the Bi-ICM amputation group was significantly lower than that in the remaining groups (all P<0.05). The time to conception was approximately 7–10 days later in the Uni-ICM amputation group than in the control and sham groups (all P<0.05). Conclusions Male rats undergoing Bi-ICM amputation may develop permanent ED, which affects their fertility. In contrast, rats undergoing Uni-ICM amputation may experience transient ED.

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