title: Concentrations of inflammatory cytokines and the outcome in ICSI cycles.
abstract: The aim of this study was to measure circulating and intrafollicular concentrations of three inflammatory cytokines from women undergoing ovarian stimulation in order to determine their prognostic value in the outcome of intracytoplasmic sperm injection/embryo transfer cycles.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 72 women following ovarian stimulation and intracytoplasmic sperm injection were included. Blood serum samples were drawn at the day of chorionic gonadotropin administration. Follicular fluids were collected at the day of oocyte retrieval. The total fractions of tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin (IL)-1beta and IL-6 were measured with commercially available immunoassays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The concentrations of IL-1beta, both in serum and follicular fluids, were significantly different between ICSI cycles that resulted in pregnancy and those that failed. The concentrations of the other two cytokines did not significantly differ between successful and unsuccessful cycles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The circulating and intrafollicular concentrations of IL-1beta seem to be related to the pregnancy outcome in ICSI cycles of healthy women.
authors.affiliation: IVF Unit, General University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece.
authors.forename: Byron
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Asimakopoulos
authors.forename: Cem
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Demirel
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Felberbaum
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Waczek
authors.forename: Nikos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nikolettos
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Köster
authors.forename: Safaa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al-Hasani
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Diedrich
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D010062:Ovulation Induction; D018579:Patient Selection; D011247:Pregnancy; D011379:Prognosis; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D016207:Cytokines; D006728:Hormones; D004958:Estradiol; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone