title: Effects of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor supplementation in culture medium on embryo quality and pregnancy outcome of women aged over 35 years.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to explore whether a low concentration of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) supplementation in culture medium is beneficial to infertile women aged over 35 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective cohort study was performed to analyze the embryo quality and pregnancy outcome of 212 controlled ovarian stimulation (COH) cycles with or without GM-CSF addition (n = 117 [GM-CSF, 0.2 ng/mL] vs n = 95 [control]).
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant difference was observed in cleavage rate (96.2 vs 96.5 %), blastocyst formation rate (53.2 vs 54.0 %), good blastocyst rate (26.8 vs 26.8 %), or available embryo rate (54.2 vs 49.7 %) between the GM-CSF group and the control group. However, the average age of the GM-CSF group (38.41 ± 3.13 years) was significantly 1 year older than that of the corresponding control group (37.45 ± 2.74 years) (P < 0.05). GM-CSF addition greatly decreased the occurrence of biochemical pregnancy (55.6 % [control] vs 20.8 % [GM-CSF], P < 0.05). No case of neonatal malformation was observed in the present study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although no benefit of GM-CSF on embryo quality was observed, the addition of this factor significantly decreased the occurrence of chemical pregnancy of women aged over 35 years, indicating the role of GM-CSF in improving implantation competence of embryos derived from elderly infertile women.
authors.affiliation: Medical Center for Human Reproduction, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100020, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wenhui
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Medical Center for Human Reproduction, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100020, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Dapeng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.affiliation: Medical Center for Human Reproduction, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100020, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sha
authors.affiliation: Medical Center for Human Reproduction, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100020, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Medical Center for Human Reproduction, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100020, People's Republic of China. cyliyuan@126.com.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000187:drug effects; D003470:Culture Media / Q000494:pharmacology*; D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D010064:Embryo Implantation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D009865:Oocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D010062:Ovulation Induction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor
keywords: Culture medium; Embryo quality; Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF); Pregnancy outcome