The effect of chronic prostatitis on zinc concentration of prostatic fluid and seminal plasma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Background:

Prostatitis is a common disease in urology departments. Prostatic zinc accumulation is connected with the secretory function of the prostate, and zinc concentrations present in prostatic diseases differ greatly from the normal level. Studies have investigated the effect of chronic prostatitis on zinc concentration of prostatic fluid and seminal plasma, but have shown inconsistent results. Hence, we performed a systematic literature review and meta-analysis to assess the effect of chronic prostatitis on the zinc concentration of prostatic fluid and seminal plasma.

Methods:

Systematic literature searches were conducted with PubMed, Embase, Science Direct/Elsevier, CNKI and the Cochrane Library up to March 2015 for case–control studies that involved the relationship between chronic prostatitis and zinc concentration of prostatic fluid and seminal plasma. Meta-analysis was performed with Review Manager and Stata software. Standard mean differences (SMDs) of zinc concentration were identified with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) in a random- or fixed-effects model.

Results:

Our results illustrated that the zinc concentrations in prostatic fluid and seminal plasma from chronic prostatitis patients were significantly lower than normal controls (SMD [95% CI] −246.71 [−347.97, −145.44], −20.74 [−35.11, −6.37], respectively).

Limitations:

The sample size of each study was relatively small, and a total of 731 chronic prostatitis patients and 574 normal controls were investigated in all fourteen studies. Several studies related to the subject were excluded due to lack of control data or means and standard deviations.

Conclusions:

The present study illustrates that there was a significant negative effect of chronic prostatitis on zinc concentrations of prostatic fluid and seminal plasma. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to better illuminate the negative impact of chronic prostatitis on zinc concentrations.

Keywords: :

• Chronic prostatitis
• Seminal plasma
• zinc

Transparency

Declaration of funding

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation of China (grant numbers: 81372736/H1619 and 81072107/H1619).

Author contributions: Conceived and designed the experiments: D.C, G.W.H, Y.F.D. Performed the experiments: D.C, G.W.H, Y.G.S, L.J.M, Q.Z.L. Analyzed the data: D.C, G.W.H, Y.F.D. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: L.J.M, Q.Z.L, Y.G.S. Wrote the paper: D.C, G.W.H, Y.F.D. All authors reviewed the manuscript.

Declaration of financial/other relationships

D.C., G.W.H., Y.G.S., L.J.M., Q.Z.L., and Y.F.D. have disclosed that they have no significant relationships with or financial interests in any commercial companies related to this study or article.

CMRO peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Acknowledgments

We extend many thanks to L.k.L for his expertise and kind help throughout our research project. Thanks to all staff of Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University.