title: Relationship between cytokine concentrations (FGF, sICAM-1 and SCF) in serum, follicular fluid and ICSI outcome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was (i) to investigate the existence of fibroblast growth factor (FGF), soluble intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), and stem cell factor (SCF) in serum and human follicular fluid (FF) of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) patients, and (ii) to determine the relationship between these parameters and ICSI outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-five patients undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation with human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) after down-regulation with GnRHa were included in this study. The concentrations of FGF, SCF, and sICAM-1 were measured by using commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test kits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The FGF, sICAM-1, and SCF concentrations in the serum of women who become pregnant (group I) were 8.5 +/- 1.5 pg/mL, 235.8 +/- 81.1 ng/mL, and 597.7 +/- 139.9 pg/mL, and the corresponding concentrations of women who did not (group II) were 6.4 +/- 3.6 pg/mL, 230.6 +/- 66.5 ng/mL, and 569.6 +/- 91.4 pg/mL respectively. No significant difference was observed between the two investigated groups with regard to the number of hMG ampoules administered for controlled ovarian hyperstimulation, estradiol concentration on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) injection, number of retrieved oocytes and fertilization rate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The concentration of FGF, sICAM-1, and SCF did not differ significantly between the two groups in serum or in FF. Besides, the ICSI outcome was not related to their concentrations in serum or FF. Therefore, these parameters could not be used as a prognostic factor in ICSI program.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Saarland, Homburg/Saar, Germany. frmham@med-rz.uni-sb.de
authors.forename: Mohamad Eid
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Hammadeh
authors.forename: Constanze
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fischer-Hammadeh
authors.forename: Heidrun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hoffmeister
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Herrmann
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rosenbaum
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schmidt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood*; D015571:Follicular Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic; D019089:Stem Cell Factor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D019089:Stem Cell Factor; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors