Effect of oxidative stress in follicular fluid on the outcome of assisted reproductive procedures.
OBJECTIVE
To measure levels of lipid peroxidation (LPO) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in the follicular fluid from patients undergoing IVF and to examine the association among LPO and TAC and oocyte maturity, embryo quality, fertilization, cleavage, and pregnancy rates.


METHODS
Prospective study.


METHODS
Tertiary care medical center.


METHODS
Forty-one patients undergoing IVF.


METHODS
Clear follicular fluid specimens were collected at oocyte retrieval.


METHODS
Follicular fluid LPO and TAC levels measured by the thiobarbituric acid and the chemiluminescence method, respectively.


RESULTS
The mean LPO level was 0.95 micromol malonaldehyde/L, and the mean TAC level was 819.16 Trolox equivalents. No correlation was seen among LPO or TAC levels and oocyte maturity, fertilization, cleavage, and embryo quality. The pregnancy rate was 31.7%. Pregnant patients were significantly younger than the patients who did not become pregnant (30.53 +/- 3.5 years vs. 34.32 +/- 3.98 years). After adjusting for age, a positive correlation was seen between pregnancy rate and LPO and between pregnancy rate and TAC.


CONCLUSIONS
Both LPO and TAC levels were positively correlated with the pregnancy rate. Lipid peroxidation may be a good marker of metabolic activity within the follicle, and some amounts may be necessary to establish a pregnancy.
Pasqualotto
Eleonora B
EB
Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA.
Agarwal
Ashok
A
Sharma
Rakesh K
RK
Izzo
Vicente M
VM
Pinotti
José A
JA
Joshi
Narendra J
NJ
Rose
Bruce I
BI
D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D001723:Birth Rate; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D015571:Follicular Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic
D000975:Antioxidants