title: LH serum levels during ovarian stimulation as predictors of ovarian response and assisted reproduction outcome in down-regulated women stimulated with recombinant FSH.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There has been much debate about the effect of 'residual' LH levels in normogonadotrophic women undergoing assisted reproduction with GnRH agonist down-regulation and recombinant FSH ovarian stimulation. The aim of this prospective study, where receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used, was to assess further the usefulness of serum LH levels as predictors of ovarian response, assisted reproduction treatment outcome, and the outcome of pregnancy when measured throughout the ovarian stimulation period in a large cohort of such assisted reproduction treatment women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 246 consecutive women undergoing their first cycle of IVF or ICSI treatment were included in this study. Blood samples for hormone analyses were obtained on day S0 (the day when pituitary suppression was evidenced) and every other day from stimulation day 5 (S5) until the day of hCG injection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LH serum levels throughout ovarian stimulation treatment were similar for cancelled (n =32) versus non-cancelled (n = 214) cycles, non-conception (n = 132) versus conception (n = 82) cycles, and ongoing pregnancy (n = 66) versus early pregnancy loss (n = 16) groups. There was no correlation between LH serum levels in non-cancelled cycles and parameters of ovarian response and assisted reproduction treatment outcome. ROC analysis showed that serum LH concentration during ovarian stimulation was unable to discriminate between cancelled and non-cancelled cycles, conception versus non-conception cycles, or early pregnancy loss versus ongoing pregnancy groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum LH measurements during ovarian stimulation with recombinant FSH under pituitary suppression in normogonadotrophic women undergoing assisted reproduction treatment cannot predict ovarian response, IVF/ICSI outcome, implantation, and the outcome of pregnancy. Thus, there is little underlying physiological support for the addition of LH in stimulation protocols if daily doses of an appropriate GnRH agonist (leuprolide or triptorelin having lower potency than buserelin) and a step-down regimen of recombinant FSH administration are used.
authors.affiliation: Institut Clinic of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Neonatology, Faculty of Medicine-University of Barcelona, Hospital Clinic-Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peñarrubia
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fábregues
authors.forename: Montserrat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Creus
authors.forename: Dolors
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Manau
authors.forename: Roser
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Casamitjana
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guimerá
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Carmona
authors.forename: Juan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Vanrell
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Balasch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000819:agonists; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D010053:Ovary / Q000502:physiology*; D010062:Ovulation Induction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone