Effect of letrozole for ovulation induction combined with intrauterine insemination on women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of letrozole on ovulation induction and pregnancy in infertility patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). In addition, the insulin resistance was analyzed in these patients.

Subjects and methods: Progressive description study with comparison. The study included 80 infertility women divided into two groups: 40 women with PCOS (the study group) and 40 women without PCOS (the control group). The both used letrozole for ovulation induction from cycle day 2.

Results: No differences in the dominant follicle between the study group and the control group (1.16 ± 0.37 follicles and 1.30 ± 0.46 follicles, respectively). The clinical pregnancy rate was 22.5% of the both groups. The average insulin of the study group (10.85 ± 5.84 µUI/ml) and their average HOMA-IR (2.42 ± 1.34) were higher than the control group (7.44 ± 2.84 µUI/ml and 1.57 ± 0.68), p < .05. The QUICKI of the study group (0.35 ± 0.29) was lower than the control group (0.36 ± 0.25), p < .05.

Conclusion: Letrozole is used to stimulate the ovaries of the infertile women with PCOS combined with intrauterine insemination is the effective treatment. These patients had the high risk of insulin resistance.

Chinese abstract

目的：评价来曲唑对多囊卵巢综合征（PCOS）不孕症患者促排卵和妊娠的疗效和安全性。此外, 还分析了这些患者的胰岛素抵抗情况。研究对象与方法：渐进式描述与比较研究。这项研究包括80名不孕妇女分为两组：40名多囊卵巢综合征妇女（研究组）和40名非多囊卵巢综合征妇女（对照组）。从月经第2天开始, 两组人都用来曲唑诱导排卵。结果：研究组和对照组的优势卵泡数（分别为1.16±0.37和1.30±0.46）无显著差异。两组临床妊娠率均为22.5%。研究组胰岛素平均值（10.85±5.84mIU/ml）和用稳态模型评估的胰岛素抵抗的平均值（2.42±1.34）均高于对照组（7.44±2.84mIU/ml和1.57±0.68）, p<0.05。研究组量化胰岛素敏感指数（0.35±0.29）低于对照组（0.36±0.25）, p<0.05。结论：来曲唑对多囊卵巢综合征不孕妇女行卵巢刺激联合宫内受精是有效的治疗方法。这些患者有胰岛素抵抗的高风险。

Keywords:

• AI (aromatase inhibitor)
• polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• letrozole
• insulin resistance
• IUI (intrauterine insemination)

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Mililary Institute of Clinical Embryogly and Histology, Military Medical University for their support during study, and to the patients for their voluntary participation in this research.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflict of interest.