Effect of advanced paternal age on reproductive outcomes in IVF cycles of non-male-factor infertility: a retrospective cohort study / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

Advanced paternal age has been overlooked, and its effect on fertility remains controversial. Previous studies have focused mainly on intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles in men with oligozoospermia. However, few studies have reported on men with semen parameters within reference ranges. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective cohort study analyzing the reproductive outcomes of couples with non-male-factor infertility undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. In total, 381 cycles included were subgrouped according to paternal age (<35-year-old, 35-39-year-old, or ≥40-year-old), and maternal age was limited to under 35 years. Data on embryo quality and clinical outcomes were analyzed. The results showed that fertilization and high-quality embryo rates were not significantly different (all P > 0.05). The pregnancy rate was not significantly different in the 35-39-year-old group (42.0%; P > 0.05), but was significantly lower in the ≥40-year-old group (26.1%; P < 0.05) than that in the <35-year-old group (40.3%). Similarly, the implantation rate significantly decreased in the ≥40-year-old group (18.8%) compared with that in the <35-year-old group (31.1%) and 35-39-year-old group (30.0%) (both P < 0.05). The live birth rate (30.6%, 21.7%, and 19.6%) was not significantly different across the paternal age subgroups (<35-year-old, 35-39-year-old, and ≥40-year-old, respectively; all P > 0.05), but showed a declining trend. The miscarriage rate significantly increased in the 35-39-year-old group (44.8%) compared with that in the <35-year-old group (21.0%; P < 0.05). No abnormality in newborn birth weight was found. The results indicated that paternal age over 40 years is a key risk factor that influences the assisted reproductive technology success rate even with good semen parameters, although it has no impact on embryo development.

Clinical observation of dog days moxibustion plaster therapy in treatment of allergic rhinitis of different patterns/syndromes / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the efficacy and feasibility of dog days moxibustion plaster therapy in treatment of allergic rhinitis of different patterns/syndromes.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Allergic rhinitis of lung deficiency and invasion of cold, spleen qi deficiency and kidney yang deficiency, 56 patients for each pattern/syndrome were randomized into a plaster therapy group and a nasal spray group, 28 cases in each one. In the plaster therapy group, according to the pattern/syndrome differentiation, with literature retrieval method, 3 acupoints of high frequency utility in clinic were selected as one group in acupoint plaster therapy. For lung deficiency and invasion of cold pattern/syndrome, Feishu (BL 13), Fengmen (BL 12) and Hegu (LI 4) were selected. For spleen qi deficiency pattern/syndrome, Pishu (BL 21), Zusanli (ST 36) and Dazhui (GV 14) were selected. For kidney yang deficiency pattern/ syndrome, Shenshu (BL 23), Dingchuan (EX-B 1) and Bailao (EX-HN 15) were selected. Separately, on July 13, 2013, July 23, 2013, August 2, 2013 and August 12, 2013, the aucpoint plaster therapy was applied, 2 to 4 h (1 to 2 h for children) each time. In the nasal spray group, beclometasone dipropionate aqueous nasal spray, 2 presses one nostril each time, 2 to 3 times a day, continuously for 4 weeks. The symptom score and efficacy were compared before and after treatment in the patients of the two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The symptom scores of 3 patterns/syndromes were all apparently improved after treatment as compared with those before treatment in the patients of the two groups (all P<0.05), and the result in the plaster therapy group was better than that of the nasal spray group (P<0.05, P<0.01). For lung deficiency and invasion of cold pattern/syndrome, the total effective rate was 87.3% (20/24) in the plaster therapy group, better than 84.6% (22/26) in the nasal spray group (P<0.05). For spleen qi deficiency pattern/syndrome, the total effective rate was 83.3% (20/24) in the plaster therapy group, obviously better than 76.9% (22/26) in the nasal spray group (P<0.05). For kidney yang deficiency pattern/syndrome, the total effective rate was 79.2% (19/24) in the plaster therapy group, better than 76.9% (22/26) in the nasal spray group (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The dog days moxibustion plaster therapy achieves definite efficacy on allergic rhinitis at the acupoints selected based on the differentiation of different patterns/syndromes and the efficacy is better than beclometasone dipropionate aqueous nasal spray.</p>