Interest of growth hormone-releasing hormone administration for improvement of ovarian responsiveness to gonadotropins in poor responder women.
OBJECTIVE
We have investigated the beneficial effect of a somatotroph axis stimulation on ovarian response to gonadotropin.


METHODS
Growth hormone-releasing hormone (GH-RH) was administered in a prospective study in women undergoing an in vitro fertilization protocol.


METHODS
Twelve patients were selected for their poor ovarian response to previous stimulations using gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog (GnRH-a) and human menopausal gonadotropins (hMG).


METHODS
Five hundred micrograms of GH-RH1-29 were administered two times daily concomitantly with GnRH-a and hMG from day 2 of the cycle to the time of ovulation.


METHODS
Stimulation of somatotroph axis was appreciated by measuring over-night urinary growth hormone (GH) output, plasma GH, and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and follicular fluid (FF) IGF-I. The effects of GH-RH administration on ovarian function were determined by plasma estradiol levels and follicular data.


RESULTS
Administration of GH-RH was associated with a significant improvement of urinary (P less than 0.025) and plasma (P less than 0.001) GH concentrations and of the hormonal response to hMG (P less than 0.01). Levels of IGF-I followed a biphasic plasma variation, and a slight increase in recruited follicles, retrieved oocytes, and FF IGF-I content was also observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Activation of the somatotroph axis by GH-RH enhances the hormonal ovarian response to hMG and may be an adjunctive therapy to improve follicular maturation.
Hugues
J N
JN
Université Paris XIII, Hôpital Jean Verdier, Bondy, France.
Torresani
T
T
Herve
F
F
Martin-Pont
B
B
Tamboise
A
A
Santarelli
J
J
D000328:Adult; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D015571:Follicular Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D008186:Luteolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008596:Menotropins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D010062:Ovulation Induction; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017329:Triptorelin Pamoate
D008186:Luteolytic Agents; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D017329:Triptorelin Pamoate; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D004958:Estradiol; D008596:Menotropins; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D013006:Growth Hormone; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone; C059148:somatotropin releasing hormone (1-29)