P-384

Perifollicular blood flow and its relationship with endometrial vascularity, follicular fluid EG-VEGF, IGF-1, and inhibin-a levels and IVF outcomes

PURPOSE

The aim of this study is to investigate the association of perifollicular blood flow (PFBF) with follicular fluid EG-VEGF, inhibin-a, and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) concentrations, endometrial vascularity, and IVF outcomes.

METHODS

Forty women with tubal factor infertility were included in a prospective cohort study. Each woman underwent IVF/ICSI procedure. Individual follicles of ≥16 mm (n = 156) were evaluated by power Doppler analysis and categorized as well-vascularized follicles (WVFs) or poorly vascularized follicles (PVFs). WVFs referred to those with perifollicular vascularity of 51-100 %. Each follicular fluid (FF) was individually aspirated and FF/serum EG-VEGF, inhibin-a, and FF IGF-1 levels were evaluated. Zones III-IV endometrial vascularity was classified as a well-vascularized endometrium (WVE). The presence of a WVE and mature oocytes, in addition to the embryo quality and clinical pregnancy rate (CPR), were recorded for each follicle. The main outcome measures were FF serum EG-VEGF, inhibin-a, IGF-1 levels, and WVE and IVF outcome per PFBF.

RESULTS

For WVFs, the level of FF EG-VEGF (p = 0.008), oocyte quality (p = 0.001), embryo quality (p = 0.002), a WVE (p = 0.001), and CPR (p = 0.04) increased significantly. The pregnant group was characterized by increased numbers of WVFs (p = 0.044), a WVE (p = 0.022), and increased levels of FF IGF-1 (p = 0.001) and serum EG-VEGF (p = 0.03). FF IGF-1 >50 ng/mL (AUC 0.72) had 75 % sensitivity and 64 % specificity for predicting CPR.

CONCLUSIONS

WVFs yield high-quality oocytes and embryos, a WVE, increased FF EG-VEGF levels, and increased CPRs.

Follicular fluid insulin like growth factor-1 (FF IGF-1) is a biochemical marker of embryo quality and implantation rates in in vitro fertilization cycles

CONTEXT:

Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) has been reported to play a role in human follicular and embryonic development. However, earlier studies carried out mostly in animal models or in culture mediums supplemented with IGF-1 have been unable to directly link IGF-1 with embryo quality. Results correlating IGF-1 with pregnancy outcome have also been ambiguous so far.

AIM:

The aim of this study is to find if in situ follicular-fluid level of IGF-1 is predictive of embryo quality and implantation rates in in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles.

SETTINGS AND DESIGN:

Prospective study involving 120 cycles of conventional IVF-embryo transfer in infertile women.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS:

IGF-1 concentrations were estimated in pooled follicular-fluid on the day of oocyte-pickup. Embryo quality was assessed daily at different developmental stages. Cycles were sorted into low and high follicular fluid insulin-like growth factor-1 (FF IGF-1) groups according to the median value of measurement. Embryo quality, clinical pregnancy and implantation rate were the main outcome measures.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS:

Graph-pad Prism 5 statistical package.

RESULTS:

FF IGF-1 correlates with embryo quality (Pearson r = 0.3894, r² = 0.1516, P > 0.0001) and clinical pregnancy (Pearson r = 0.5972, r² = 0.36, P > 0.0001). High FF IGF-1 group shows significantly higher rates of fertilization, cleavage, blastocyst formation and top grade embryos compared with low FF IGF-1 group. Clinical pregnancy rates (38.33 vs. 20%, P = 0.0272) and embryo implantation rates (21.6 vs. 10.32%, P = 0.0152) are also significantly higher in the high versus low FF IGF-1 group. Threshold value of FF IGF-1 for clinical pregnancy is <58.50 ng/mg protein (receiver operating characteristics _AUC : 0.85 ± 0.03, 95% CI: 0.78-0.91).

CONCLUSION:

FF IGF-1 is a plausible biochemical marker of embryo quality and implantation rate and correlates with clinical pregnancy rates in conventional IVF cycles.