A comparison of metabolic health parameters in ICSI-conceived and naturally conceived adolescents.

RESEARCH QUESTION: Are there differences in the cardiometabolic health of ICSI-conceived adolescents compared with a control group, taking parental risk factors into account? DESIGN: ICSI-conceived adolescents (n = 272), their mothers (n = 273) and naturally conceived control adolescents (n = 273) and their mothers (n = 273) provided a blood test and answered a health-related questionnaire. The adolescents also attended a physical examination. RESULTS: ICSI-conceived males showed significantly higher mean weight (72.6 ± 15.1 versus 67.7 ± 12.6 kg, P = 0.005), body mass index (BMI) (22.2 ± 3.7 versus 21.0 ± 3.2 kg/m2, P = 0.007) and waist circumference (79.1 ± 11.6 versus 74.5 ± 8.7 cm, P < 0.001). The mean values for weight and BMI were also significantly higher in the ICSI parents. In the ICSI-conceived females significant differences in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (1.5 ± 0.3 versus 1.6 ± 0.3 mmol/l, P = 0.033) and triglyceride values (1.1 ± 0.5 versus 1.0 ± 0.4 mmol/l, P = 0.013) were observed. ICSI mothers also had significantly higher triglycerides (P = 0.002), higher glutamate pyruvate transaminase/alanine aminotransferase (P < 0.001) and higher alkaline phosphatase values (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Increased values for weight were found in the male and differences in lipid parameters in the female ICSI-conceived adolescents, which were reflected in the values of their parents. Adjustment for parental risk factors generally attenuated the differences between the ICSI and the control groups, but did not completely remove them. Whether these observed differences are clinically relevant for the future health of the participants requires further study. To increase knowledge in this area, future studies should also include parental data.

The process of decision making in reproductive medicine.

The decision-making process regarding the optimal infertility treatment strategy is influenced by several factors. In addition to the underlying cause of infertility, the process of decision making is also influenced by other factors. These factors are mainly (1) the duration of infertility, (2) patient's age, and (3) the number of previously performed treatment cycles of intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF). The duration of infertility influences diagnostic steps as well as therapeutic options. With an infertility of at least 5 years the benefit of intrauterine insemination is limited and couples should be counseled to go forward with IVF. Patients age >or= 40 years should be treated with IVF, whereas patients age >or= 43 years should be counseled about their very limited chance to conceive even through IVF. The number of insemination cycles should be limited to four. Couples who have undergone at least six IVF cycles should be counseled to discontinue therapy. The treatment program should be as individualized as possible, with individual counseling that is adapted after each single treatment cycle.

Physical health at 5.5 years of age of term-born singletons after intracytoplasmic sperm injection: results of a prospective, controlled, single-blinded study.

OBJECTIVE: To study the health of children born after ICSI and of spontaneously conceived control children at the age of 4-6 years. DESIGN: Prospective, controlled, blinded study. SETTING: Tertiary-care center. PATIENT(S): Two hundred seventy-six term-born singletons conceived by ICSI and 273 matched spontaneously conceived singletons at the age of 5.5 years. INTERVENTION(S): Detailed physical examination, interview of the parents, and collection of data from each child's examination booklet. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Biometrical data; current health status; acute, chronic and childhood illnesses; hospitalizations; and surgeries. RESULT(S): Detailed physical examination did not reveal any relevant differences between ICSI and spontaneously conceived children. There were no relevant differences regarding the incidence of childhood illnesses, acute or chronic illnesses, accidents, and surgeries up to the age of 5.5 years. However, a history of undescended testicles was found significantly more often in boys born after ICSI (5.4% vs. 0.7%), with the consequence that they had significantly more urogenital surgery (19.2% vs. 8.9%). Significantly more ICSI children had been hospitalized (37.6% vs. 27.2%), although we did not find any specific reason for the increased hospitalization rate. CONCLUSION(S): Other than an increased risk of undescended testicles and therefore an increase in urogenital surgeries in ICSI boys, the physical health of ICSI children was comparable to that of spontaneously conceived children at the age of 5.5 years.

Impact of glycemic variations on the regulation of androgen metabolism in obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the influence of alterations in glucose concentrations on androgen levels in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and in healthy controls. DESIGN: Prospective, controlled study. SETTING: Tertiary care center. PATIENT(S): Seven patients with PCOS and 20 healthy controls. INTERVENTION(S): Hyperinsulinemic glucose clamp study with stepwise reduction of the plasma glucose level from hyperglycemia to hypoglycemia. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Concentrations of insulin, C-peptide, cortisol, T, androstenedione, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, DHEA, and DHEAS during hyperglycemia, euglycemia, and hypoglycemia. RESULT(S): Total T levels and the free androgen index were significantly higher in the PCOS group at baseline and throughout the clamp. The levels of T, androstenedione, DHEAS, and 17-hydroxyprogesterone were not influenced by short-term changes of plasma glucose concentrations in both groups. However, hypoglycemia led to a significant increase in DHEA levels in PCOS patients as well as in controls. Cortisol levels were not increased during hypoglycemia in either group. CONCLUSION(S): In contrast to men, androgen levels are not influenced by short-term changes of plasma glucose levels in PCOS patients and in healthy women. However, DHEA concentrations increase with decreasing glucose levels independently from an activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. This supports a gender difference regarding the counterregulatory hormone response to hypoglycemia.

Can we sense ART? The blinded examiner is not blind-a problem with follow-up studies on children born after assisted reproduction.

In a prospective, controlled, blinded follow-up study of children born after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), blinded examiners correctly intuited the mode of conception (ICSI versus spontaneous) in three out of four children, which must be considered when interpreting outcome data for children born after assisted reproduction.

Distribution of persistent organochlorine contaminants in infertile patients from Tanzania and Germany.

PURPOSE: To test whether environmental pollutants could affect fertility in humans. METHODS: 31 women and 16 men from Tanzania and 21 couples from Germany were included (n = 89). Pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls were measured in serum, follicular fluid or seminal plasma by gaschromatography and related to sperm quality and pregnancy rates. RESULTS: Higher concentrations of DDT+DDE and dieldrin in Tanzania and higher concentrations of PCBs in Germany and in men were detected. All compounds showed higher concentrations in serum and lowest concentrations in seminal plasma. A lower pregnancy rate in German women with high serum concentrations of DDT+DDE was observed. The toxins had no impact on sperm quality. CONCLUSIONS: The distribution of toxins between agricultural and industrial countries is different. Seminal plasma seems to be inert against chemicals. In patients with high serum concentrations of DDT and DDE pregnancy rates were impaired.

Treatment strategies in PCOS patients.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), with a prevalence of up to 7%, is the most common endocrinopathy in women of reproductive age. It is a complex metabolic-endocrine disorder with severe long-term health consequences, such as a higher risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. According to prospective studies, women with PCOS have abnormal glucose tolerance and diabetes mellitus in 31.0-35.0% and 7.5-10.0% respectively. This risk is 2-3 times higher than normal. Insulin resistance plays a key role in the pathophysiology of this syndrome, and this makes the use of oral antidiabetic drugs most compelling. The majority of studies have shown amelioration of typical symptoms such as hyperandrogenism and cycle irregularities following the use of oral anti-diabetics, and ovulation and pregnancy rates increased. Furthermore, these drugs might be cardioprotective by improving insulin sensitivity and reducing the risk for type 2 diabetes. The best-investigated drug is metformin. Metformin is not approved for PCOS treatment in Germany and is a class B drug in pregnancy. In sterile PCOS patients, clomiphene citrate is still the first choice. The combination of clomiphene with metformin and lifestyle changes such as weight reduction and exercise might be superior to clomiphene alone. This article covers the use of different oral anti-diabetic drugs in the treatment of PCOS, and their influence on fertility and long-term health.