title: Cytokine profile in cases with premature elevation of progesterone serum concentrations during ovarian stimulation.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), leptin, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1beta and IL-6, in cycles with a premature rise of serum progesterone. 25 intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles with (Group 1) and 25 ICSI cycles without a premature progesterone elevation (Group 2) were included. The cut-off value of serum progesterone on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration was 0.9 ng/ml. The indication for ICSI was male factor infertility exclusively. On the day of hCG injection, serum IL-6, VEGF and bFGF were significantly higher in Group 1 (7.7+/-24.5 pg/ml, 290.2+/-161.4 pg/ml and 15.7+/-8.2 ng/ml respectively) than in Group 2 (1.7+/-0.7 pg/ml, 175.2+/-92.1 pg/ml, and 9+/-1.6 ng/ml respectively). On the day of follicular puncture, serum cytokine concentrations were similar in the two groups. IL-6 intrafollicular concentrations were higher in Group 1 (14.7+/-20.7 pg/ml) than in Group 2 (9+/-9.3 pg/ml, p=0.031). There were no differences regarding the ICSI outcome. Patients with serum progesterone above 0.9 ng/ml, have elevated serum concentrations of IL-6, VEGF, and bFGF, as well as elevated intrafollicular concentrations of IL-6. The outcome of ICSI cycles is not associated with premature elevation of progesterone when the cut-off value is set at 0.9 ng/ml.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece. basima@med.duth.gr
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nikolettos
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Asimakopoulos
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Köster
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schöpper
authors.forename: Ch
authors.initials: Ch
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Caglar
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Efthimiadou
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Pagonopoulou
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Diedrich
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al-Hasani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015571:Follicular Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism*; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000378:metabolism; D010062:Ovulation Induction; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood*; D012016:Reference Values; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D020738:Leptin; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D013739:Testosterone; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol