[ usefulness of elastase measurement in the sperm for the diagnosis of urogenital male inflammation and infection]

Genital tract inflammation is a frequent cause of infertility among men, usually clinically silent with only leukocytospermia defined as the presence of white blood cells [WBC]>1.10[6]/ml in semen. During the inflammation process, granulocytes discharge large amounts of proteases such as elastase. The elastase linked to its inhibitor in the form of a complex the elastase alpha1-protease inhibitor in semen is suggested as a potential marker of genital tract inflammation. To assess the measurement of elastase as a biomarker of genital tract inflammation by comparing this technique with the detection of leukocytospermia according to the WHO guidelines. methods: This study interested 83 infertile men attending the andrology center for semen analysis. Leukocytospermia was assessed by a peroxydase test and elastase concentration by immunoassay in the seminal plasma. An elevated elastase was found in 38% of men. A similarity was found between leukocytospermia and elastase in 79% of cases, kappa coefficient concordance with leukocytospermia is good [0.78]. The sensitivity of the elastase is 100%, the specificity= 75%. The positive predictive value is 47%, the negative predictive value is 100% with a Youden index=0.75. All patients with leukocytospermia>1.106/ml had an elastase>250ng/ml, 73% of them a concentration>1000 ng/ml. In the group of patients with no leucocytospermia, 75% had elastase<250ng/ml, 21% had concentration between 250 and 1000ng/ml and 4% [3 patients] a concentration>1000ng/ml. Seminal elastase is a more sensitive marker than leucocytospermia in the diagnosis of male urogenital inflammation and infection

[Basal fsh level is only predictive of the quantitative aspect of the ovarian response]

Determination FSH and LH at day 3 of the menstrual cycle predicts the response to stimulation. To evaluate the value of FSH and LH measurements compared with women's age in predicting qualitative and quantitative ovarian response to gonadotrophin stimulation. 305 patients underwent at least one intra cytoplasmic sperm injection [ICSI] cycle. The levels of FSH and LH at day 3 were determined in an earlier cycle. A good quantitative ovarian response was defined as [3]3 oocytes retrieved and 3 embryos obtained. A good qualitative ovarian response was defined as a percentage of mature oocytes [3] 75% and immature ones²15% of the total number of oocytes retrieved with at least one top quality embryo obtained. Receiver operating characteristic [ROC] curves were generated for FSH, LH and female age. FSH is better than female age in predicting the number of oocytes retrieved [respectively ROCAUC=0.77, p=10-3 versus ROCAUC=0.73, p=10-3] and the number of embryos obtained [ROCAUC=0.69, p=10-3 versus ROCAUC=0.66, p=10-3]. LH is non predictive. None of the three tested parameters was predictive of the fertilization and pregnancy rates. An FSH cutoff was calculated and a value of 7.8mUI/ml is associated with a sensitivity of 73% and a specificity of 70% for the prediction of ovarian response to controlled stimulation. Basal FSH level predicts good quantitative rather than qualitative response. LH is non predictive. FSH and LH do not predict pregnancy rate. Patients having high FSH levels should not be excluded from IVF/ICSI treatment

[ retrospective study of 339 ICSI cycles: assessment of the two first years of activity of the assisted reproductive technology's center of Aziza Othmana's hospital]

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection [ICSI] is a micro-manipulation-assisted fertilization, whereby one spermatozoon is injected into the oocyte cytoplasm. Initially, ICSI was the treatment of choice for male factor infertility. However, because of the high fertilization and pregnancy rates achieved with this technique, the scope of the procedure has been widened to include couples with other causes of infertility. The aim of this study was to study the progression of the activity of the assisted reproductive technology's center of Aziza Othmana's Hospital and the ICSI results during the first two years. Our study included 269 infertile couples who underwent 339 ICSI cycles between 1st May 2001 and 30 April 2003. Cycles with no oocytes obtained at the follicular aspiration and women aged over 40 years were excluded from this study. The number of ICSI cycles progressed in our center: 150 ICSI cycles in the 1st year, 189 ICSI cycles in the 2nd year. The mean number of picked-up oocytes was 8,8 +/- 5,6. The fertilization rate was 62. The mean number of transferred embryos was 3,1 +/- 1,5. The pregnancy rate per transfer was 32,4%. The miscarriage rate was 28,4%. The take home baby rate was 67,9%. The number of couples undergoing ICSI cycles in our center is increasing. The fertilization rates and pregnancy rates in our center are similar to those published in the literature