title: The use of high dose letrozole in ovulation induction and controlled ovarian hyperstimulation.
abstract: Letrozole, an aromatase inhibitor, has been demonstrated to be effective as an ovulation induction and controlled ovarian hyperstimulation agent. However, dose administration has generally been limited to 5 days at 2.5 to 7.5 mg daily. We undertook a retrospective review of over 900 treatment cycles using letrozole in doses as high as 12.5 mg per day. Results indicate that such doses do indeed offer benefit to patients; in that there is increased follicular growth and a higher number of predicted ovulations with higher doses of the drug. However, increasing doses does not produce a detrimental effect upon endometrial thickness. High-dose letrozole may be of value in women who fail to respond adequately to lower doses. Furthermore, randomized trials are needed to determine whether high-dose letrozole might actually be optimal as a starting dose for certain treatment groups.
authors.affiliation: Wisconsin Fertility Institute, 3146 Deming Way, Middleton, WI 53562, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Pritts
authors.forename: Alexander K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Yuen
authors.forename: Shefaali
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Genisot
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Olive