Clinical and laboratory parameters associated with cycle outcomes in patients undergoing euploid frozen blastocyst transfer.

RESEARCH QUESTION: Which factors impact on clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) and live birth rates (LBR) in euploid frozen embryo transfer (eFET) cycles? DESIGN: Retrospective observational study including 1660 eFET cycles with 2439 euploid blastocysts, from November 2016 to December 2020. The impact of clinical and laboratory parameters on CPR, biochemical miscarriage rate (BMR), clinical miscarriage rate (CMR) and LBR was evaluated. RESULTS: CPR per transfer was 63.4%, LBR per transfer 51.6%. CPR and LBR were significantly higher when double embryo transfer (DET) was performed (71.6% versus 57.7%, P < 0.001; 55.2% versus 49.1%, P = 0.016, respectively). However, pregnancy loss was significantly higher in the DET group (28.8% versus 22.8%, P = 0.02). When patients were classified by body mass index (BMI), no differences were observed for CPR, but CMR was lower (P < 0.001) and LBR higher (p = 0.031) for the normal BMI group. The natural cycle protocol revealed lower CMR (P < 0.001) and lower pregnancy loss (P < 0.001); subsequently, higher LBR (57.6%, 48.8%, 45.0%, P = 0.001) compared with hormonal replacement protocol and stimulated cycle. Day of trophectoderm biopsy affected CPR (P < 0.001) and LBR (P < 0.001), yet no differences were observed for BMR, CMR or pregnancy loss. The multivariate analysis showed that day 6/7 embryos had lower probabilities for pregnancy; overweight and obesity had a negative impact on LBR, and natural cycle improved LBR (adjusted odds ratio 1.445, 95% confidence interval 0.519-0.806). CONCLUSIONS: Day of biopsy affected CPR, while BMI and endometrial preparation protocol were associated with LBR in eFET. DET should be discouraged as it will increase the risk of pregnancy loss. Women with higher BMI should be aware of the higher risk of pregnancy loss and lower LBR even though a euploid blastocyst is transferred.

Anti-Müllerian hormone levels to predict oocyte maturity and embryo quality during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the correlation between controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) outcome parameters and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) serum levels during in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment in women with varying ovarian reserve levels. METHODS: Prospective study of 46 women undergoing GnRH-antagonist short protocol for IVF. Participants included women with low ovarian reserve (N.=11), normoreserve (N.=16), and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS; N.=19). AMH was measured on menstrual cycle day 1-3 (basal AMH), on the day of GnRH-antagonist administration (AMH-GnRH), on the day of hCG administration (AMH-hCG), and in follicular fluid on the day of oocyte retrieval (AMH-FF). RESULTS: Basal AMH was significantly correlated (P<0.001) with antral follicle count and number of follicles >11mm on hCG day (P<0.05). Both basal AMH and AMH-GnRH were significantly correlated (P<0.05) with the number of oocytes retrieved and metaphase II. AMH-hCG was correlated with top quality embryos (P=0.04). No correlations were found between COH outcome parameters and AMH-FF. CONCLUSIONS: Basal AMH serum concentration was the strongest predictor of oocyte yield. AMH concentration at the mid-follicular phase was also a good predictor of oocyte yield and this marker was the only useful ovarian reserve indicator during the follicle growth process to predict IVF outcomes. AMH-hCG levels appear to predict embryo quality. AMH levels during the COH can provide valuable data to help individualize treatment and predict COH results.

Anti-Müllerian hormone dynamics during GNRH-antagonist short protocol for IVF/ICSI in women with varying ovarian reserve levels.

BACKGROUND: Data on variations in anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels according to ovarian reserve are scant. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in AMH levels during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation with a GnRH-antagonist protocol for in vitro fertilization (IVF). METHODS: Prospective, observational study of 46 women. The subjects were divided into three cohorts according to ovarian reserve levels: polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS; N.=19), low ovarian reserve (LOR; N.=11), and normoreserve (NR; N.=16). Serum AMH concentration was measured at baseline (cycle day 2-3 before follicle stimulating hormone [FSH] administration) and just prior to GnRH-antagonist and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration. AMH concentration in follicular fluid (FF) was assessed on the day of oocyte retrieval. RESULTS: AMH serum concentration decreased significantly (P<0.001) and progressively in all three groups from baseline (initiation of stimulation) to all subsequent assessments. Serum AMH levels were significantly higher in the PCOS group at all determinations: (AMH1: 8.18±6.26ng/mL, AMH2: 5.3±3.97ng/mL, AMH3: 2.19±1.31ng/mL) versus the NR group (AMH1: 2.94±1.53ng/mL, AMH2: 1.44±0.77ng/mL, AMH3: 0.71±0.57ng/mL) and LOR group (AMH1: 0.63±0.42ng/mL, AMH2: 0.58±0.4ng/mL, AMH3: 0.31±0.2ng/mL). No significant between-group differences were observed for AMH levels in FF (PCOS: 3.56±3.19ng/mL, NR: 4.06±5.44ng/mL, LOR: 1.31±0.47ng/mL) nor for fertilization rate, number of top quality embryos, or clinical pregnancy rates. CONCLUSIONS: Serum AMH levels gradually decrease during GnRH-antagonist protocol for IVF. This decrease starts at the beginning of the follicular phase and continues up to the day of hCG administration. These results underscore the important role that AMH plays in the process of folliculogenesis and dominant follicle selection.

Hormonoterapia como primer tratamiento en pacientes no subsidiarias de cirugía en cáncer de mama / Hormonotherapy as the first therapeutic option in non-surgical breast cancer patients

Objetivos: Valorar la respuesta y la supervivencia utilizando tratamiento hormonoterápico en pacientes con cáncer de mama no subsidiarias de cirugía. Material y métodos: Estudio retrospectivo de 153 pacientes con carcinoma de mama no operable por enfermedad extensa, edad avanzada, comorbilidad grave o rechazo a la terapia convencional, tratadas con hormonoterapia. Valoramos el estadio inicial, la respuesta, la supervivencia global y hasta el primer evento así como causas de fallecimiento. Resultados: La edad media ± desviación estándar fue 79 ± 7 años y el seguimiento medio 42,6 meses (0-180 meses). Al diagnóstico, 22% presentaba T4; el 47%, afectación ganglionar clínica, y el 16%, enfermedad metastásica. El 87,7% recibió tamoxifeno y el resto, inhibidores de aromatasa o megestrol. El 22% tuvo otros tratamientos sucesivos. El 5,8% presentó respuesta completa; el 31,8%, parcial; el 34,4%, estabilización, y el 9,7%, progresión. El primer evento apareció a 35,7 ± 33 meses de seguimiento. La mortalidad global a 5 años fue del 68,6% y la mortalidad debida a cáncer de mama del 57,3%. Conclusiones: La hormonoterapia puede plantearse como primera opción en estas pacientes al ser eficaz con escasos efectos secundarios

Objectives: To analyze the response to hormonotherapy and survival in non-surgical breast cancer patients. Material and methods: We performed a retrospective study of 153 patients with inoperable breast carcinoma due to advanced disease, advanced age, severe comorbidity or refusal to accept conventional therapy, who were treated with hormonotherapy. Initial tumoral stage, response, overall survival and causes of death were evaluated. Results: The mean age was 79 ± 7 years with a mean follow-up of 42.6 months (range: 0-180). At diagnosis, stage T4 tumors were found in 22%, clinical nodal involvement was found in 47% and metastasis in 16%. Tamoxifen was administered in 87.7% of the patients and aromatase inhibitors or megestrol in the remainder. Successive treatments were required in 22%. Complete response occurred in 5.8% and partial response in 31.8%. Of there maining patients, 34.4% remained stable and 9.7% showed disease progression. The first event occurred at 35.7 ± 33 months of follow-up. Overall mortality was 68.7% and breast cancer mortality was 57.3%. Conclusions: Because of its efficacy and scarce adverse effects, hormonotherapy may be an effective treatment in non-surgical patients with breast carcinoma

Situs ambiguo asociado a cardiopatía e interrupción de la vena cava inferior con continuidad de la ácigos / Situs ambiguus associated with congenital heart disease and interruption of the inferior vena, cava and with azygos continuation

Entre la lateralidad habitual (situs solitus) y laimagen completa en espejo (situs inversus) seencuentra el situs ambiguo o heterotaxia. Sus dosmodalidades principales son el isomerismoizquierdo (con poliesplenia) o el derecho (conasplenia). La heterotaxia implica alteraciones en lamovilidad ciliar que dificultan la migración deórganos embrionarios. Presenta malposición deórganos toracoabdominales, cardiopatías complejasy otras malformaciones. Presentamos un caso dediagnóstico ecográfico prenatal de isomerismoizquierdo, hígado a la izquierda y asplenia,asociado a cardiopatía e interrupción de la venacava inferior con continuidad de la ácigos. Lalateralidad de los órganos fetales debe ser partedel examen ultrasonográfico rutinario, por lasfrecuentes malformaciones asociadas a laheterotaxia

There is a spectrum of heterotaxic syndromesbetween normal organ distribution (situs solitus)and congenital conditions in which major organsare mirrored from their normal position (situsinversus). The two main modalities are leftisomerism (with polysplenia) and right isomerism(with asplenia). Heterotaxic defects involve ciliarydyskinesia, hampering migration of embryonicorgans and leading to malposition of thoracic andabdominal organs, complex cardiac defects, andother malformations. We present a case of prenatalechographic diagnosis of levocardia, with left-sidedliver, asplenia, congenital heart disease, andinterruption of the inferior vena cava with azygoscontinuation. Because of the malformationsfrequently associated with heterotaxy, the positionof fetal organs should form part of routineultrasonographic examination (AU)