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Study aim
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The effect of laser acupuncture on male fertility in oligospermia
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Design
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The clinical trial has a control group with a parallel, double-blind, randomized group on 72 patients. After the intervention, the number of semen samples taken from all patients is 3 samples.
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Settings and conduct
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Patients in the intervention group underwent laser acupuncture twice a week for two consecutive 5 weeks which is performed by a trained technician of acupuncture and lasers. In the control group, laser acupuncture is performed as sham acupuncture.The intervention is performed in the laser research center of Shohadaye Tajrish Hospital in Tehran. Both patients and technicians are blinded.
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Participants/Inclusion and exclusion criteria
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The criteria for entering the study are those under 35 years of age, at least one year of unsuccessful attempts without contraception, oligospermia.
Criteria for not entering the study include azoospermia, a history of infertility-related urological surgery, a history of hormonal and genetic disorders, a history of taking complementary hormonal medications over the past year, and a varicocele on examination or ultrasonography, history of undescended testis, history of mumps and epididymo-orchitis, history of medical diseases (diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, thyroid disorders, etc.), abnormal findings of the testis examination, history of smoking, alcohol and drugs, as well as history of occupational exposure With chemicals and radioactivity.
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Intervention groups
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Patients in the intervention group undergo laser acupuncture twice a week for two consecutive 5-week periods. The intervention is in the form of energy transfer by laser fibers to the specified points (acupoint).
Control group: Sham laser acupuncture is performed while the device is off.
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Main outcome variables
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Semen volume;
Total sperm count;
Sperm motility;
Sperm concentration;
Sperm morphology