title: [Sperm chromatin integrity test for predicting the outcomes of IVF and ICSI].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the predictive value of sperm chromatin integrity test (SCIT) in assisted reproductive technology (ART) by analyzing the relationship of sperm chromatin integrity (SCI) with the outcomes of IVF-ET and ICSI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) was performed to test SCI in 187 ART cycles, and the results were expressed as DNA fragmentation index (DFI). According to the level of DFI, the 187 cycles were allocated to a high DFI group (DFI > or = 30% ) and a low DFI group (DFI < 30%), each of which was again divided into an IVF and an ICSI subgroup. Comparisons were made between the IVF and ICSI subgroups of the high and low DFI groups in the fertilization rate, cleavage rate, embryo quality, and clinical pregnancy rate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The clinical pregnancy rate of ICSI was significantly higher than that of IVF in the high DFI group, while the clinical outcomes showed no significant differences between the high and low DFI groups in either the IVF or the ICSI subgroup.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sperm DNA damage affects the outcome of ART, and therefore SCIT can be used as a supplementary option to standard semen analysis in choosing the method for ART.
authors.affiliation: Center of Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230022, China.
authors.forename: Huan-Huan
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Xiao-Jin
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Yun-Xia
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Cao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002843:Chromatin; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D055101:Semen Analysis; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin