Serum androgen dynamics in young women aged 18-40 treated with chemotherapy for breast cancer: an observational, multicentric, prospective study in France.

Although the deleterious impact of chemotherapy regimen used to treat women of reproductive age with breast cancer on ovarian reserve has been extensively studied, hardly anything has been reported on the effect of these protocols on theca cell function and ovarian androgen secretion. The aim of this prospective multicentric cohort study was to describe serum levels of total testosterone and androstenedione during chemotherapy and 24-month follow-up in 250 patients <40 years treated for breast cancer. Mean basal levels of androstenedione and total testosterone at diagnosis were 1.68 ng/mL and 0.20 ng/mL respectively. No correlation with age was found. Serum levels of androstenedione and total testosterone rapidly decreased after chemotherapy completion, before slowly increasing and almost returning to basal levels in all patients during 2-year follow-up. In conclusion our study demonstrates a chemotherapy-induced alteration of ovarian thecal function, resulting in a significant decrease in serum androgen levels. This alteration of theca cell function adds to the well-known alteration of granulosa cell function, resulting in a global, but partly transient, ovarian failure in young women treated for breast cancer. These data bring new insight into ovarian physiology and emphasize the need for pre and post-treatment ovarian follow-up. Trial registration: ClinicalTrial.gov identifier NCT01114464.

Total blastocyst usable rate is a predictor of cumulative live birth rate in IVF cycles.

PURPOSE: Despite advances in IVF techniques, determining the prognostic factors influencing cumulative live birth rate (CLBR) remains crucial for optimizing outcomes. Among the various key performance indicators in the lab, blastulation rate, and more specifically Total Blastocyst Usable Rate (TBUR), has gained particular interest. In this study we aimed at determining if TBUR was significantly associated with CLBR. BASIC PROCEDURES: This monocentric retrospective case-control study was conducted in 317 consecutive IVF/ICSI cycles in 2014-2020 and leading to the formation of 3 usable blastocysts, including freeze all cycles. TBUR (usable blastocysts / 2PNs) was calculated and CLBR after 2-year follow up was recorded, including both fresh and frozen embyro transfers. CLBR was then compared between 2 groups according to TBUR (group 1: TBUR ≥50 % vs group 2: TBUR ≤30 %). MAIN FINDINGS: CLBR was significantly higher in group 1 than in group 2 (57 vs. 41 %, p = 0.02). Adjusted logistic regression showed a statistically significant relationship between CLBR and TBUR, with a significantly lower chance of achieving a live birth in group 2 than in group 1 (OR = 0.408 [0.17-0.96]; p = 0.04). PRINCIPAL CONCLUSIONS: Although the monocentric design and the arbitrary choice of thresholds for TBUR and number of blastocysts call for caution when generalizing the findings and advocates for external validation, our results illustrate that TBUR is a valuable prognostic factor of CLBR in IVF cycles which might serve as a tool for lab monitoring, cycle analysis by medical staff and patients' counselling. These results fit well within the P4 medicine concept (Predictive, Preventive, Personalized, and Participatory), and advocate for further research in order to improve embryo culture conditions.

Female smoking does not affect live birth rate after frozen thawed blastocyst transfer cycle.

PURPOSE: The development of vitrification and blastocyst culture have recently led to a rapidly growing number of single frozen thawed blastocyst transfer (FBT) cycles worldwide. Although the impact of female smoking on spontaneous fertility is well established, its effect on assisted reproductive technologies (ART) outcome is still controversial, and no study has specifically evaluated its effect on FBT cycles' outcome. METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted in all consecutive FBT cycles conducted between 2012 and 2021 in a single University-based ART centre. Endometrial preparation was standard and based on hormonal replacement therapy. One or two blastocysts were transferred according to couple's history and embryo quality. Female smoking status was recorded for each cycle, and the association between female smoking status and Live Birth Rate (LBR) after FBT cycle was evaluated with univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: A total of 1537 FBT cycles performed in non-smoking women and 397 FBT cycles performed in smoking women were included in the analysis. No independent association between female smoking status and LBR in FBT cycles was found after logistic regression (OR=1.07 [0.79-1.45], p = 0.649). CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that female smoking might not impair endometrial receptiveness in non-stimulated FBT cycles. Further studies should nevertheless consider assessing more precisely the current smoking exposure.

[Pre-implantation genetic testing: Comparison between cleavage stage and blastocyst biopsy]. / Le diagnostic préimplantatoire : comparaison des stratégies de biopsie embryonnaire au stade clivé et au stade blastocyste.

OBJECTIVES: Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) refers to the set of techniques for testing whether embryos obtained through in vitro fertilization have genetic defect. There is a lack of global standardization regarding practices between countries or even from one center to another. In ours, biopsies are preferably performed on day 3 embryos, but also at the blastocyst stage on day 5. The blastocyst biopsy often requires systematic freezing of the embryos before obtaining the genetic results, whereas day 3 biopsy allows fresh embryo transfer of the healthy or balanced embryo after getting the genetic results. We wanted to compare the chances of success for couples performing PGT in our center according to the day of the biopsy. METHODS: For this, we carried out a retrospective monocentric study including all PGT cycles performed between 2016 and 2019 divided into two groups: day 3 or day 5 biopsy. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in terms of live birth rate (P=0.7375) after fresh embryo transfers, as well for pregnancy rates, clinical pregnancy rates, implantation rates and miscarriage rates. On the other hand, we observed higher live birth rates after frozen-thawed embryo transfer when the biopsy was performed on day 5 rather on day 3 (P=0.0001). We also wanted to assess what was the most efficient biopsy strategy in our laboratory. Our rates of useful embryos were similar regardless of the day of the biopsy (34% in D3 and 37.7% in D5, P=0.244). No statistical difference was found in the number of unnecessarily biopsied embryos in the two groups. But still, the percentage of embryos biopsied on D5 and immediately frozen was 42.8% (118 blastocysts), while no embryo biopsied on D3 led to this case. CONCLUSION: Therefore, our results are in favor of generalization of the D5 biopsy as the international standard. However, the organizational, financial and logistical implications that this technic would impose make it unsystematic in our center.

IVF outcomes in patients with a history of bariatric surgery: a multicenter retrospective cohort study.

STUDY QUESTION: How does a history of dramatic weight loss linked to bariatric surgery impact IVF outcomes? SUMMARY ANSWER: Women with a history of bariatric surgery who had undergone IVF had a comparable cumulative live birth rate (CLBR) to non-operated patients of the same BMI after the first IVF cycle. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: In the current context of increasing prevalence of obesity in women of reproductive age, weight loss induced by bariatric surgery has been shown to improve spontaneous fertility in obese women. However, little is known on the clinical benefit of bariatric surgery in obese infertile women undergoing IVF. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: This exploratory retrospective multicenter cohort study was conducted in 10 287 IVF/ICSI cycles performed between 2012 and 2016. We compared the outcome of the first IVF cycle in women with a history of bariatric surgery to two age-matched groups composed of non-operated women matched on the post-operative BMI of cases, and non-operated severely obese women. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: The three exposure groups of age-matched women undergoing their first IVF cycle were compared: Group 1: 83 women with a history of bariatric surgery (exposure, mean BMI 28.9 kg/m2); Group 2: 166 non-operated women (non-exposed to bariatric surgery, mean BMI = 28.8 kg/m2) with a similar BMI to Group 1 at the time of IVF treatment; and Group 3: 83 non-operated severely obese women (non-exposed to bariatric surgery, mean BMI = 37.7 kg/m2). The main outcome measure was the CLBR. Secondary outcomes were the number of mature oocytes retrieved and embryos obtained, implantation and miscarriage rates, live birth rate per transfer as well as birthweight. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: No significant difference in CLBR between the operated Group 1 patients and the two non-operated Groups 2 and 3 was observed (22.9%, 25.9%, and 12.0%, in Groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively). No significant difference in average number of mature oocytes and embryos obtained was observed among the three groups. The implantation rates were not different between Groups 1 and 2 (13.8% versus 13.7%), and although lower (6.9%) in obese women of Group 3, this difference was not statistically significant. Miscarriage rates in Groups 1, 2 and 3 were 38.7%, 35.8% and 56.5%, respectively (P = 0.256). Live birth rate per transfer in obese patients was significantly lower compared to the other two groups (20%, 18%, 9.3%, respectively, in Groups 1, 2 and 3, P = 0.0167). Multivariate analysis revealed that a 1-unit lower BMI increased the chances of live birth by 9%. In operated women, a significantly smaller weight for gestational age was observed in newborns of Group 1 compared to Group 3 (P = 0.04). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: This study was conducted in France and nearly all patients were Caucasian, questioning the generalizability of the results in other countries and ethnicities. Moreover, 950 women per group would be needed to achieve a properly powered study in order to detect a significant improvement in live birth rate after bariatric surgery as compared to infertile obese women. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: These data fuel the debate on the importance of pluridisciplinary care of infertile obese women, and advocate for further discussion on whether bariatric surgery should be proposed in severely obese infertile women before IVF. However, in light of the present results, infertile women with a history of bariatric surgery can be reassured that surgery-induced dramatic weight loss has no significant impact on IVF prognosis. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): This work was supported by unrestricted grants from FINOX-Gédéon Richter and FERRING Pharmaceuticals awarded to the ART center of the Clinique Mathilde to fund the data collection and the statistical analysis. There are no conflicts of interest to declare. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02884258.

Evolution of serum Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) level in young women treated with chemotherapy for breast cancer according to basal AMH level.

OBJECTIVE: Serum AMH level has been shown to decrease in women treated for breast cancer in several studies. However, whether basal AMH status affects AMH dynamics during chemotherapy remains to be clarified. The objective of this study was to compare serum AMH dynamics in young women with either low, normal or high basal serum AMH level at diagnosis, during and after treatment with chemotherapy for breast cancer. STUDY DESIGN: In this secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study, serum AMH was measured during and after chemotherapy in 239 women of reproductive age diagnosed with breast cancer and treated with chemotherapy. The association between AMH dynamics throughout chemotherapy and during follow-up and basal AMH status, i.e. low AMH (<1 µg/l, <7 pmol/l), normal AMH (1-4.9 µg/l, 7-36 pmol/l) and high AMH (≥5 µg/l, >36 pmol/l), was evaluated. Menses occurrence was also recorded. RESULTS: A total of 21 women had low, 154 had normal and 64 had high basal AMH level. Serum AMH rapidly decreased during chemotherapy in all groups, and its variation during chemotherapy and follow-up was not significantly different between the 3 groups. CONCLUSION: No association was found between AMH variation during chemotherapy and follow-up, and basal AMH level at diagnosis. However, women with high basal AMH levels have significantly higher AMH levels throughout chemotherapy and follow-up than women with normal or low basal AMH levels at diagnosis.

Female obesity does not impact live birth rate after frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer.

STUDY QUESTION: Does female obesity affect live birth rate after frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer? SUMMARY ANSWER: Live birth rate was not statistically different between obese and normal weight patients after frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer (FBT). WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Obesity is a major health problem across the world, especially in women of reproductive age. It impacts both spontaneous fertility and clinical outcomes after assisted reproductive technology. However, the respective impact of female obesity on oocyte quality and endometrial receptivity remains unclear. While several studies showed that live birth rate was decreased in obese women after fresh embryo transfer in IVF cycle, only two studies have evaluated the effects of female body mass index (BMI) on pregnancy outcomes after frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer (FBT), reporting conflicting data. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: This retrospective case control study was conducted in all consecutive frozen-thawed autologous blastocyst transfer (FBT) cycles conducted between 2012 and 2017 in a single university-based centre. A total of 1415 FBT cycles performed in normal weight women (BMI = 18.5-24.9 kg/m2) and 252 FBT cycles performed in obese women (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) were included in the analysis. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: Endometrial preparation was standard and based on hormonal replacement therapy. One or two blastocysts were transferred according to couple's history and embryo quality. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: Female and male age, smoking status, basal AMH level and type of infertility were comparable in obese and normal weight groups. Concerning FBT cycles, the duration of hormonal treatment, the stage and number of embryos (84% single blastocyst transfer and 16% double blastocysts transfer) used for transfer were comparable between both groups. Mean endometrium thickness was significantly higher in obese than in normal weight group (8.7 ± 1.8 vs 8.1 ± 1.6 mm, P < 0.0001). Concerning FBT cycle outcomes, implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate were comparable in obese and in normal weight groups. Odds ratio (OR) demonstrated no association between live birth rate after FBT and female BMI (OR = 0.92, CI 0.61-1.38, P = 0.68). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: Anthropometric parameters such as hip to waist ratio were not used. Polycystic ovarian syndrome status was not included in the analysis. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Our study showed that live birth rate after frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer was not statistically different in obese and in normal-weight women. Although this needs confirmation, this suggests that the impairment of uterine receptivity observed in obese women after fresh embryo transfer might be associated with ovarian stimulation and its hormonal perturbations rather than with oocyte/embryo quality. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): No external funding was received. There are no competing interests. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: N/A.

Development of automated annotation software for human embryo morphokinetics.

STUDY QUESTION: Is it possible to develop an automated annotation tool for human embryo development in time-lapse devices based on image analysis? SUMMARY ANSWER: We developed and validated an automated software for the annotation of human embryo morphokinetic parameters, having a good concordance with expert manual annotation on 701 time-lapse videos. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Morphokinetic parameters obtained with time-lapse devices are increasingly used for the assessment of human embryo quality. However, their annotation is time-consuming and can be slightly operator-dependent, highlighting the need to develop fully automated approaches. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: This monocentric study was conducted on 701 videos originating from 584 couples undergoing IVF with embryo culture in a time-lapse device. The only selection criterion was that the duration of the video must be over 60 h. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: An automated morphokinetic annotation tool was developed based on gray level coefficient of variation and detection of the thickness of the zona pellucida. The detection of cellular events obtained with the automated tool was compared with those obtained manually by trained experts in clinical settings. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: Although some differences were found when embryos were considered individually, we found an overall concordance between automated and manual annotation of human embryo morphokinetics from fertilization to expanded blastocyst stage (r2 = 0.92). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: These results should undergo multicentric external evaluation in order to test the overall performance of the annotation tool. Getting access to the export of 3D videos would enhance the quality of the correlation with the same algorithm and its extension to the 3D regions of interest. A technical limitation of our work lies within the duration of the video. The more embryo stages the video contains, the more information the script has to identify them correctly. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Our system paves the way for high-throughput analysis of multicentric morphokinetic databases, providing new insights into the clinical value of morphokinetics as a predictor of embryo quality and implantation. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): This study was partly funded by Finox-Gedeon Richter Forward Grant 2016 and NeXT (ANR-16-IDEX-0007). We have no conflict of interests to declare. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: N/A.

Sperm cryopreservation and assisted reproductive technology outcome in patients with spinal cord injury.

This study aimed to describe spinal cord injured patients' semen characteristics before and after cryopreservation, and assisted reproductive technology cycles outcome compared to the infertile population. Data about sperm analysis and assisted reproductive technology (ART) cycles outcomes for 78 men with spinal cord injury referred for sperm cryopreservation between 1998 and 2013 were retrospectively analysed and compared with a reference group consisting of every Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) cycle performed in our in vitro fertilization unit over the 2009-2014 period. Semen was collected by penile vibratory stimulation (PVS), electroejaculation or via testis biopsies. Fresh and frozen semen parameters and ART outcomes with frozen-thawed sperm were measured. Patients were divided into three groups according to the sperm retrieval methods: 37 electroejaculations, 37 PVSs and four surgical sperm retrievals. Low ejaculate volume was observed in 33% of the patients, and oligozoospermia in 37% of the patients. Specimens from 77 of the patients contained motile sperm and were therefore frozen for future use. There was no statistical difference for any of the fresh semen parameters between all groups. Twenty of them underwent ICSI leading to five live births, while four underwent intrauterine insemination. ART with frozen-thawed spermatozoa can provide men with SCI with comparable results as in the infertile population.

Prospective evaluation of serum anti-Müllerian hormone dynamics in 250 women of reproductive age treated with chemotherapy for breast cancer.

AIM: Women of reproductive age with breast cancer generally receive gonadotoxic chemotherapy. Fertility issues are of great concern for them. However, little is known on ovarian damage during chemotherapy and its evolution during long-term follow-up. The aim of this study was to provide a detailed description of serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) evolution during chemotherapy and 24-month follow-up. METHODS: This prospective cohort study was conducted in 250 patients, aged 18-39 years, diagnosed with breast cancer and treated with adjuvant/neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Each patient underwent blood AMH measurement at each chemotherapy cycle, and at 6, 12 and 24 months after chemotherapy. Menses occurrence was also recorded. RESULTS: Mean basal AMH level was 4.19 ± 4.84 ng/mL, and was negatively correlated with age. Serum AMH level rapidly decreased in all patients after each chemotherapy cycle to undetectable levels in most of them, and slowly increased in 45% of the patients during the 24-month follow-up. AMH decrease was significantly associated with age and basal AMH level, but not with cyclophosphamide dose and tamoxifen use. The prevalence of chemotherapy-related amenorrhoea was 92.4% at the end of chemotherapy; women with amenorrhoea being significantly older and having lower basal AMH than women who resumed menses. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirms rapid and deep ovarian reserve alteration in young women receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer, and shows moderate AMH recovery in some patients. Although AMH cannot alone predict fertility potential, these new data emphasise the need for post-treatment ovarian insufficiency follow-up, strongly support the use of fertility preservation strategies and may provide new tools for improved counselling.

Decrease of blood anti-α1,3 Galactose Abs levels in multiple sclerosis (MS) and clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) patients.

The etiology of multiple sclerosis (MS) remains elusive. Among the possible causes, the increase of anti-Neu5Gc antibodies during EBV primo-infection of Infectious mononucleosis (IMN) may damage the integrity of the blood-brain barrier facilitating the transfer of EBV-infected B cells and anti-EBV T cell clones in the brain. We investigated the change in titers of anti-Neu5Gc and anti-α1,3 Galactose antibodies in 49 IMN, in 76 MS, and 73 clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) patients, as well as age/gender-matched healthy individuals. Anti-Gal and anti-Neu5Gc are significantly increased during IMN (p=0.02 and p<1.10-4 respectively), but not in acute CMV primo-infection. We show that, whereas there was no change in anti-Neu5Gc in MS/CIS, the two populations exhibit a significant decrease in anti-Gal (combined p=2.7.10-3), in contrast with patients with non-MS/CIS central nervous system pathologies. Since anti-Gal result from an immunization against α1,3 Gal, lacking in humans but produced in the gut, our data suggest that CIS and MS patients have an altered microbiota or an altered response to this microbiotic epitope.

WBP2NL/PAWP mRNA and protein expression in sperm cells are not related to semen parameters, fertilization rate, or reproductive outcome.

PURPOSE: WBP2NL/PAWP, a protein found in the post-acrosomal region of mammalian spermatozoa, has been proposed as a sperm-borne oocyte-activating factor (SOAF) contributing to Ca2+ release within the oocyte and subsequent fertilization and embryo development. However, its relevance as either a diagnostic or a prognostic marker of fertilization failure has been questioned in the recent literature. We analyzed WBP2NL/PAWP gene and protein expression level and localization in patients without previous intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles in order to assess its association with both sperm characteristics and ability to fertilize. METHODS: Raw frozen-thawed semen samples from 33 couples referred for oocyte donation were included in the study during 2015. Relative protein expression versus α-tubulin (western blot, WB), proportion of post-acrosomal WBP2NL/PAWP-positive spermatozoa over the total number of sperm cells (immunofluorescence), and WBP2NL/PAWP gene expression (RT-qPCR) were analyzed and correlated with semen analysis parameters (number, motility, and morphology) and with reproductive outcomes. RESULTS: WBP2NL/PAWP protein was expressed in all samples with high variability: relative protein expression (1.77 ± 0.8, range [0.4-3.7]), proportion of positive cells (49.6% ± 16.1, range [22-89]), and relative gene expression (7.3 ± 8.2). No significant correlation (R 2 < 0.1) was found between gene and protein expression, neither between WBP2NL/PAWP gene or protein expression, and fertilization rate or other reproductive outcomes (i.e., pregnancy). In contrast, we found significant correlation between sperm morphology and WBP2NL/PAWP semiquantitative analysis in WB (r = -0.42, p < 0.05) and for sperm motility and WBP2NL/PAWP expression in IF (r = 0.52, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Taken into account that WBP2NL/PAWP gene and protein levels and distribution did not correlate with fertilization rates, this study questions the interest of WBP2NL/PAWP protein and gene expression analysis in sperm cells as a prognostic factor for the outcome of ICSI cycles. Larger studies focusing on WBP2NL/PAWP protein and gene expression are needed in order to evaluate the role of WBP2NL/PAWP as a prognostic factor for ART.

Anti-müllerian hormone levels and evolution in women of reproductive age with breast cancer treated with chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Long-term consequences of cancer treatments in young women, and especially fertility issues, are gaining attention as survival rates increase. Breast cancer is the most frequent malignancy in women of reproductive age. AIM: The purpose of this review is to describe serum anti-müllerian hormone (AMH) level at diagnosis and its evolution during and after chemotherapy in women of reproductive age treated for breast cancer. Second, the impact of taxanes on AMH, the association between AMH and amenorrhea, and the comparison of AMH with other hormonal markers of ovarian reserve were studied. METHODS: A systematic PubMed search was conducted on all articles, published up to April 2016 and related to AMH in women suffering from breast cancer using the following key words: AMH, müllerian-inhibiting substance, ovarian reserve, ovarian function, breast cancer, gonadotoxicity, ovarian toxicity, amenorrhea, chemotherapy, and menopause. RESULTS: AMH levels rapidly fall down to undetectable levels in most women during chemotherapy and generally persist at very low levels in most women after the treatment. Taxanes seem to impact negatively ovarian function, but data on ovarian reserve are scarce. AMH is a predictor of the occurrence of chemotherapy-related amenorrhea and is the most relevant hormonal marker of ovarian reserve. CONCLUSION: Serum AMH is a relevant tool for ovarian reserve assessment and follow-up during treatment in premenopausal women with breast cancer. Further large prospective studies are necessary to determine its predictive interest for post-treatment residual fertility, and eventually use it in fertility preservation counseling before treatment initiation.

[High doses of gonadotropins for controlled ovarian hyperstimulation: A case-control study]. / Stimulation ovarienne à fortes doses de gonadotrophines en FIV : étude rétrospective cas-témoin au CHU de Nantes.

OBJECTIVES: While assisted reproductive technology (ART) activity increases throughout the world, most teams have to face with the challenge of ovarian stimulation in poor responders. Despite a huge amount of literature available, no consensus currently exists on the best protocol, molecule or dose to use in these patients. The main objective of this case-control study was to compare ovarian stimulation and IVF outcome in patients at risk of poor ovarian response undergoing antagonist protocol with high doses of gonadotropins (≥450IU/day) versus patients undergoing stimulation at 300IU/day. METHODS: This retrospective monocentric study was conducted in 2013 on antagonist cycles performed with ≥450IU/day. Each cycle was matched with a control antagonist cycle with 300IU/day injection, with strict matching for ART type, age, serum anti-müllerian hormone (AMH) and body mass index (BMI). RESULTS: A total of 82 high dose cycles were matched and compared with 82 control cycles. Both groups were comparable, except for poor responder prevalence and mean IVF rank, which were higher in high dose group than in control group. No significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of number of oocytes, embryos, fertilization rate, implantation and ongoing pregnancy rates. CONCLUSIONS: No ovarian stimulation protocol has demonstrated its superiority in expected poor responders up to now, especially regarding doses of gonadotropins to use. Accordingly, our study did not show any difference between high dose stimulation regimen (≥450IU/day) and conventional stimulation (300IU/day) in terms of IVF cycle outcome.

Leptin and its potential interest in assisted reproduction cycles.

BACKGROUND: Leptin, an adipose hormone, has been shown to control energy homeostasis and food intake, and exert many actions on female reproductive function. Consequently, this adipokine is a pivotal factor in studies conducted on animal models and humans to decipher the mechanisms behind the infertility often observed in obese women. METHODS: A systematic PubMed search was conducted on all articles, published up to January 2015 and related to leptin and its actions on energy balance and reproduction, using the following key words: leptin, reproduction, infertility, IVF and controlled ovarian stimulation. The available literature was reviewed in order to provide an overview of the current knowledge on the physiological roles of leptin, its involvement in female reproductive function and its potential interest as a prognostic marker in IVF cycles. RESULTS: Animal and human studies show that leptin communicates nutritional status to the central nervous system and emerging evidence has demonstrated that leptin is involved in the control of reproductive functions by acting both directly on the ovaries and indirectly on the central nervous system. With respect to the clinical use of leptin as a biomarker in IVF cycles, a systematic review of the literature suggested its potential interest as a predictor of IVF outcome, as high serum and/or follicular fluid leptin concentrations have correlated negatively with cycle outcome. However, these preliminary results remain to be confirmed. CONCLUSION: Leptin regulates energy balance and female reproductive function, mainly through its action on hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian function, whose molecular and cellular aspects are progressively being deciphered. Preliminary studies evaluating leptin as a biomarker in human IVF seem promising but need further confirmation.

[Congenital bilateral absence of vas deferens: From diagnosis to assisted reproductive techniques - the experience of three centers]. / Absence bilatérale des canaux déférents : du diagnostic à l'assistance médicale à la procréation. Expérience de 3 centres.

OBJECTIVES: To review the management with assisted reproductive technologies (ART) of men with congenital bilateral absence of vas deferens (CBAVD), associated with cystic fibrosis or not, after surgical retrieval [epididymal aspiration (MESA) or testicular biopsy (TESE)]. METHODS: Multicenter retrospective study made of 2 groups: CBAVD and cystic fibrosis (CF) or CBAVD only (CF-RD). Two centers performed MESA (Brest and Nantes) and one TESE (Rennes). Sperm numeration, motility, vitality, morphology and nuclear maturity were measured in both centers performing MESA. Fertilization rate (TF) and cumulated progressive pregnancy rate by retrieved oocyte (TGC) were compared between centers following ART. RESULTS: Ninety patients underwent surgical retrieval between January 1996 and March 2013, 30 in the CF group and 60 in the CF-RD group. Semen parameters were comparable between groups and centers. Fifty-eight (22 in the CF group and 36 in the CF-RD group) patients received ART between April 1996 and October 2014. TF was 50% and 52% and TGC 26% and 32% in the CF group and CF-RD groups, respectively. The results did not differ between groups but TGC was higher in Rennes than in the other two centers. CONCLUSION: Both semen parameters and ART results are comparable and similar to those reported in the literature. As shown by the results obtained in Rennes, TESE seems to be more effective.

[Fertilization failure in IVF and ICSI]. / Les échecs de fécondation en FIV et en ICSI.

OBJECTIVES: To assess male and female clinical and biological parameters that may explain fertilization failure in vitro fertilization (IVF) and IVF with intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective case-control study including 1282 IVF or ICSI cycles at the centre hospitalier universitaire of Nantes from September 2010 to February 2012. The "Fertilization Failure" group, showing no sign of fertilization, has been compared with the "Control patients" group, getting at least one embryo. RESULTS: Several significant differences were noted as, in the "Fertilization Failure" group, lower values of antral follicles (P<0.05), of inseminated oocytes (P<0.001) and active sperm (P<0.001) in IVF, and a lower quantity and quality of oocytes (P<0.001) in ICSI. The correlation tests have confirmed a significant association with these parameters. However, the logistic regression tests did not identify explanatory or predictive factor in IVF or ICSI. CONCLUSION: In our study, in accordance with literature data, impaired sperm parameters were mainly involved in complete fertilization failure in IVF, and a lower oocyte quality in ICSI.

Double-blind prospective study comparing two automated sperm analyzers versus manual semen assessment.

PURPOSE: Despite controversy regarding its clinical value, male fertility investigation mainly relies on semen analysis. Even though reference guidelines are available, manual sperm analysis still suffers from analytical variability, thus questioning the interest of automated sperm analysis systems. The aim of this study is to compared automated computerized semen analysis systems (SQA-V GOLD and CASA CEROS) to the conventional manual method in terms of accuracy and precision. METHODS: We included 250 men in this double-blind prospective study. The SQA-V GOLD (Medical Electronic Systems) and CEROS, CASA system (Hamilton Thorne) were compared to the standard manual assessment based on the WHO 5th Edition. The main outcome measures were sperm concentration, total sperm number, total motility, progressive motility, non-progressive motility, morphology, motile sperm concentration (MSC) and progressively motile sperm concentration (PMSC) with the three methods. RESULTS: Statistical analysis of the test results from the automated systems and the manual method demonstrated no significant differences for most of the semen parameters. The Spearman coefficients of rank correlation (rho) for CASA and the SQA-V GOLD automated systems vs. the manual method were: Sperm concentration (0.95 and 0.95), total sperm number (0.95 and 0.95), MSC (0.94 and 0.96) and PMSC (0.94 and 0.93) correspondingly. Concerning sperm morphology, both automated systems demonstrated high specificity (Sp) and negative predictive values (NPV), despite significantly different medians (CASA: 83.7 % for Sp and 95.2 % for NPV, SQA-V: 97.9 % for Sp and 92.5 %). The highest precision (lowest 95 % confidence interval for duplicate tests) for all semen variables was found in the SQA-V GOLD. CONCLUSIONS: The advantages of using automated semen analysers are: Standardization, speed (lower turnaround time), precision, reduced potential for human error, automated data recording and less need for highly skilled professionals to run the systems. The disadvantages of using automated systems are: notably the problem with testing some atypical samples and the inability to perform an assessment of morphology abnormalities. Based on the results of this study, the SQA-V Gold demonstrated better agreement vs. the manual method. In conclusion, automated semen analyzers can be used for routine semen analysis providing rapid clinically acceptable results with higher precision, and positively impacting laboratory standardization.

[Interest of systematic syphilis serology testing prior to assisted reproductive technology cycles: a retrospective study in Nantes, France]. / Quel intérêt pour la réalisation systématique de la sérologie syphilis avant AMP ? Étude rétrospective au CHU de Nantes de 2000 à 2010.

INTRODUCTION: Syphilis has recently re-emerged in young adults. However, serological testing of patients undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART) cycles and/or semen cryopreservation is not mandatory in every country. PATIENTS AND METHOD: We conducted a retrospective analysis on our local database to evaluate the prevalence of syphilis among infertile couples, and discuss the interest of systematic syphilis serology testing in these patients. RESULTS: Between 2000 and 2010, only one patient out of 4314 was diagnosed with chronic syphilis. CONCLUSION: This study illustrates that systematic serological screening for syphilis in couples referred for semen cryopreservation or ART only allows exceptionally rare diagnosis. The cost-effectiveness of this strategy should be reconsidered.