title: Recombinant LH supplementation to recombinant FSH during the final days of controlled ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization. A multicentre, prospective, randomized, controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this multicentre, multinational trial was to study whether rLH supplementation to recombinant FSH (rFSH) during the late follicular phase increased pregnancy rates.
  
  
  METHODS
  After down-regulation with nafarelin, 526 women were randomized on Day 1 of stimulation to use either rFSH (Gonal-F) alone (n = 261) or to continue after Day 6 of stimulation with both rFSH (Gonal-F) and rLH (Luveris) (n = 265) from Day 6. The starting dose of rFSH was 150-225 IU/day according to age below or above 35 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ongoing pregnancy rate at week 10-12 was 28.7% after rFSH alone and 27.2% after rFSH + rLH. This showed no evidence of a difference. Administration of rLH significantly (P< 0.001) increased serum LH. Ongoing pregnancy rates in patients with low LH levels (<33 percentile) on Days 1 and 6 of stimulation showed no difference between the group treated with rFSH only (23.9% low Day 1 LH; 22.1% low Day 6 LH) versus rFSH + rLH (25.0% low Day 1 LH; 28.9% low Day 6 LH).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Supplementing rFSH with daily doses of 75-150 IU of rLH during the second half of the follicular phase showed no evidence of increasing the ongoing pregnancy rates in the general population. (ClinicalTrials.gov, trial number: KF02-035/03).
authors.affiliation: The Fertility clinics 4017, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark. anyboea@rh.hosp.dk
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: NyboeAndersen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Humaidan
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fried
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hausken
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Antila
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bangsbøll
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lindenberg
authors.forename: H Ejdrup
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Bredkjaer
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Meinertz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005498:Follicular Phase; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010062:Ovulation Induction / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017211:Treatment Failure
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone