title: Alpha-glycosidase activity in seminal plasma: predictive value for outcome in intrauterine insemination and in vitro fertilization.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the hypothesis that alpha-glycosidase activity in seminal plasma can predict the outcome of both IUI and IVF.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary fertility center in a university hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-three subfertile couples who underwent IUI and 125 subfertile couples who underwent IVF.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  Determination of the alpha-glycosidase activity in seminal plasma before an IUI or IVF attempt, correlation of alpha-glycosidase activity and other semen parameters, and prediction of pregnancy using alpha-glycosidase activity in seminal plasma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Alpha-glycosidase activity correlated with sperm count. In the IUI group, alpha-glycosidase activity of >23.9 mU/mL predicted pregnancy with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 55.2%. In the IVF group, the outcome could not be predicted with use of any of the semen parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alpha-glycosidase activity measured in mU/mL probably can be used as a predictor for IVF and pregnancy in an IUI program but has no predictive value with regard to pregnancy rate in an IVF program.
authors.affiliation: Leuven University Fertility Centre, University Hospital Leuven, Belgium. CARL.SPIESSENS@UZ.KULEUVEN.AC.BE
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Spiessens
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: D'Hooghe
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wouters
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meuleman
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vanderschueren
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000201:enzymology*; D007315:Insemination, Artificial; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012372:ROC Curve; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012661:Semen / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases