title: Recombinant versus urinary human chorionic gonadotrophin for final oocyte maturation triggering in IVF and ICSI cycles.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  For the last few decades urinary human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) has been used to induce final oocyte maturation triggering in in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. Recombinant technology has allowed the production of two drugs that can be used for the same purpose, to mimic the endogenous luteinizing hormone (LH) surge. This allows commercial production to be adjusted according to market requirements; the removal of all urinary contaminants; and the safe subcutaneous administration of a compound with less batch-to-batch variation. However, prior to a change in practice the effectiveness of the recombinant drugs should be known compared to the currently used urinary human chorionic gonadotrophin (uhCG).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the efficacy and safety of subcutaneous recombinant hCG (rhCG) and high dose recombinant LH (rLH) compared with intramuscular uhCG for inducing final oocyte maturation triggering in IVF and ICSI cycles.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched the Cochrane Menstrual Disorders and Subfertility Group Trials Register (January 2010), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library 2010), MEDLINE (1966 to January 2010) and EMBASE (1980 to January 2010).
  
  
  METHODS
  Two review authors independently scanned titles and abstracts and selected those that appeared relevant for collection of the full paper. Only truly randomised controlled trials comparing rhCG and rLH with urinary hCG for final oocyte maturation triggering in IVF and ICSI cycles for treatment of infertility in normo-gonadotropic women were included.
  
  
  METHODS
  Assessment for inclusion or exclusion, quality assessment and data extraction were performed independently by two authors. Discrepancies were discussed in the presence of a third author and consensus reached. Quality assessment included method of randomisation, allocation concealment, blinding of participants and assessors, reporting of a power calculation and intention-to-treat analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fourteen RCTs (n = 2306) were identified; 11 compared rhCG with uhCG and three compared rhLH with uhCG. There was no evidence of a statistically significant difference between rhCG and uhCG regarding the ongoing pregnancy or live birth rate (6 RCTs: OR 1.04, 95% CI 0.79 to 1.37; P = 0.83, I(2) = 0%). There was no significant difference in the incidence of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) between rhCG and uhCG (3 RCTs: OR 1.5, 95% CI 0.37 to 4.1; P = 0.37, I(2) = 0%). There was no evidence of statistically significant difference between rhLH and uhCG regarding the ongoing pregnancy or live birth rate (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.50 to 1.76) and incidence of OHSS (OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.39 to 1.69). These results leave open the possibility of strong differences in favour of either treatment for both ongoing pregnancy and OHSS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that there is no evidence of difference between rhCG or rhLH and uhCG in achieving final follicular maturation in IVF, with equivalent pregnancy rates and OHSS incidence. According to these findings uHCG is still the best choice for final oocyte maturation triggering in IVF and ICSI treatment cycles.
authors.affiliation: Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine - Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt and Center for Reproductive Medicine (CVV),University of Amsterdam, Netherlands, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mohamed Afm
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Youssef
authors.forename: Hesham G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Al-Inany
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aboulghar
authors.forename: Ragaa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mansour
authors.forename: Ahmed M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Abou-Setta
mesh_terms: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000819:agonists; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010062:Ovulation Induction / Q000379:methods*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone