title: Administration of methylprednisolone to prevent severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether administration of methylprednisolone to high-risk women undergoing IVF/ICSI helps reduce the development of OHSS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective clinical controlled study.
  
  
  METHODS
  IVF unit.
  
  
  METHODS
  One thousand ten women who underwent IVF/ICSI from January 9, 1997, to December 31, 1999. Ninety-one patients who were at high risk for OHSS were identified by using standard criteria.
  
  
  METHODS
  Methylprednisolone, 16 mg/d starting on day 6 of the stimulation and tapered after the first pregnancy test (day 13 after embryo transfer).
  
  
  METHODS
  Occurrence of OHSS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significantly lower proportion of methylprednisolone recipients than untreated participants developed OHSS (10.0% vs. 43.9%). Treatment recipients had more oocytes retrieved and more embryos fertilized than did untreated participants. Methylprednisolone treatment was equally effective in preventing OHSS in all causes of infertility and was effective independent of the number of IVF trials and pregnancy rates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment with methylprednisolone appears to reduce the risk for OHSS. This treatment thus helps to avoid hospitalization, reduces cycle cancellations, and improves the cost-effectiveness of IVF cycles.
authors.affiliation: IVF Unit, Iatriki Erevna, Athens, Greece. iatrikiereyna@ath.forthnet.gr
authors.forename: Trifon
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lainas
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Petsas
authors.forename: Georgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stavropoulou
authors.forename: Efthymia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alexopoulou
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Iliadis
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Minaretzis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology; D016471:Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D008775:Methylprednisolone