Association of in vitro fertilization outcome with circulating insulin-like growth factor components prior to cycle initiation.
OBJECTIVE
Components of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system enhance in vitro embryo quality and implantation rates in both animal models and human in vitro fertilization (IVF). We evaluated whether differences in serum levels of these components in women prior to initiation of an IVF cycle would be predictive of subsequent outcome.


METHODS
In this retrospective study sera from women obtained at day 2 of their IVF cycle (at baseline before stimulation) were assayed for IGF-I, IGF-II, and IGF binding protein (BP)-1 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Samples from 54 women with a live birth, 38 with a transient biochemical pregnancy, 45 with a spontaneous abortion, 54 who did not become pregnant, and 35 who had an ectopic pregnancy were available for analysis. Associations between the assays and outcome were evaluated by the Kruskal-Wallis test and receiver operating characteristic analysis.


RESULTS
There were no differences in the number of oocytes retrieved, oocyte quality, fertilization rates, or embryo grade between groups. Median concentrations of IGF-I were elevated in women with a live birth (29.1 ng/mL) as compared to women with a biochemical pregnancy (25.6 ng/mL), with spontaneous abortion (21.2 ng/mL), who were not pregnant (18.7 pg/mL), or who had an ectopic pregnancy (4.2 pg/mL) (P < .001). Conversely, median levels of IGF-II were reduced in women with a live birth (294.5 ng/mL) as opposed to 357.5, 393.6, 407.2, and 426.9 ng/mL in women with a biochemical pregnancy, with ectopic pregnancy, with spontaneous abortion, or who were not pregnant, respectively (P < .001). Median IGFBP-1 concentrations were markedly elevated in women with a live birth (23.6 ng/mL) compared to 18.3, 14.1, 13.8, and 9.5 ng/mL in women with a biochemical pregnancy, with spontaneous abortion, who were not pregnant, or with an ectopic pregnancy (P < .001). The combination of IGF-I and IGFBP-1 best predicted the occurrence of a live birth with an area under the curve of 0.892.


CONCLUSIONS
Maternal serum levels of IGF-I, IGF-II, and IGFBP-1 prior to initiation of an IVF cycle are correlated with the likelihood of a live birth. Alterations in maternal IGF system components may influence oocyte quality or the success of early postfertilization events and embryo implantation.
Division of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY; Ronald O. Perelman and Claudia Cohen Center for Reproductive Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY.
Ilana
I
Ramer
Division of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY.
Tomi T
TT
Kanninen
Division of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY.
Giovanni
G
Sisti
Division of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY.
Steven S
SS
Witkin
Ronald O. Perelman and Claudia Cohen Center for Reproductive Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY. Electronic address: sdspando@med.cornell.edu.
Steven D
SD
Spandorfer
D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous; D000328:Adult; D019540:Area Under Curve; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000628:therapy*; D018970:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II / Q000378:metabolism*; D050498:Live Birth; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011271:Pregnancy, Ectopic; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies
C583557:IGF1 protein, human; C035170:IGF2 protein, human; C032231:IGFBP1 protein, human; D018970:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II
insulin-like growth factors; in vitro fertilization; pregnancy outcome