title: Assessment of the predictive value of follicular fluid insulin, leptin and adiponectin in assisted reproductive cycles.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the correlation of intrafollicular insulin, leptin and adiponectin levels with assisted reproductive technologies (ART) outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective study of 46 patients undergoing in vitro fertilisation/intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Follicular fluid (FF) samples collected at oocyte retrieval were assayed for insulin, leptin and adiponectin levels using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and correlations with ART outcome were analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant correlation between intrafollicular insulin, leptin and adiponectin levels. There was a significant difference in the concentration of insulin (P = 0.007), but not leptin or adiponectin, between pregnant (n = 20) and non-pregnant (n = 26) cycles. Only two pregnancies was observed in the 12 cycles in which the concentration of insulin was greater than 7 mU/l in FF, while 18 pregnancies was observed in the 34 cycles in which the concentration of insulin was less than 7 mU/l (P = 0.043). The significantly high concentration of insulin in FF was observed in non-pregnant cycles of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest the possible involvement of intrafollicular insulin in folliculogenesis. Insulin resistance-related substances may affect the reproductive process in patients with PCOS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Sachiko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takikawa
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iwase
authors.forename: Maki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.forename: Toko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Harata
authors.forename: Tomokazu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Umezu
authors.forename: Tatsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakahara
authors.forename: Hiroharu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Kyosuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Shuichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Manabe
authors.forename: Fumitaka
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kikkawa
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000032:analysis*; D000328:Adult; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D015571:Follicular Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000032:analysis*; D020738:Leptin / Q000032:analysis*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin; D007328:Insulin; D020738:Leptin