Do follicular fluid advanced glycation end products levels affect the ovarian response in unexplained infertility?

Abstract

Objective

To compare the advanced glycation end products (AGEs) levels in follicular fluid according to the different ovarian responses of women who underwent controlled ovarian stimulation due to unexplained infertility and to examine the relationship between these levels and pregnancy outcomes.

Methods

Sixty-three women who underwent fresh IVF/ICSI cycles with GNRH antagonist protocol were divided into 3 groups according to the number of retrieved oocytes as suboptimal (4–9 oocytes), optimal (10–15 oocytes) and high (>15 oocytes) responders. AGEs levels in follicular fluid were measured by ELISA method.

Results

AGEs levels were 6.81 ± 2.20 µg/ml, 5.30 ± 2.01 and 6.44 ± 1.43 µg/ml in suboptimal, optimal and high response group, respectively. AGEs level was significantly higher in suboptimal response group than in optimal response group. The cutoff level of 6.19 µg/ml had a sensitivity of 59.3% and a specificity of 66.7% in distinguishing the suboptimal response group from the optimal response group. However, there were no statistically significant difference between AGEs levels and clinical pregnancy and live birth rates.

Conclusion

Increased AGEs level in follicular fluid may be associated with decreased ovarian response during controlled ovarian stimulation in unexplained infertility case, however, it does not provide information about pregnancy outcomes.

卵泡液晚期糖基化终末产物水平是否影响不明原因不孕症患者的卵巢反应？ 摘要

目的：根据不明原因不孕症女性接受控制性卵巢刺激后的不同卵巢反应, 比较卵泡液中晚期糖基化终末产物（AGEs）水平, 并探讨这些水平与妊娠结局之间的关系。

方法：63名采用促性腺激素释放激素（GNRH）拮抗剂方案进行新鲜IVF/ICSI周期的女性, 根据回收的卵母细胞数量分为3组, 次优（4-9个卵母细胞）、优（10-15个卵母细胞）和高（> 15个卵母细胞）反应。ELISA法测定卵泡液中AGEs水平。

结果：次优、优和高反应组的AGEs水平分别为6.81 ± 2.20mg/ml、5.30 ± 2.01和6.44 ± 1.43mg/ml。次优反应组的AGEs水平明显高于优反应组。在区分次优和优反应组时, 6.19mg/ml作为临界值的敏感性为59.3%, 特异性为66.7%。然而, AGEs水平与临床妊娠率和活产率之间没有统计学的显著差异。

结论：在不明原因不孕的情况下, 卵泡液中AGEs水平的升高可能与控制性卵巢刺激期间卵巢反应的降低有关, 然而, 它没有提供关于妊娠结局的信息。

Keywords:

• Advanced glycation end products
• infertlity
• ovarian response
• oxidative stress

Disclosure statement

No conflicts of interest for this article. None of the authors received any financial support for this work.