Article

OBJECTIVE:

To compare Letrozole (5 mg) and clomiphene citrate (100 mg) as first line ovulation induction drug in infertile PCOS women.

STUDY DESIGN:

Prospective Randomised trial.

SETTING:

A Tertiary level infertility centre.

PATIENTS:

103 infertile PCOS women.

INTERVENTIONS:

Treatment naïve infertile PCOS women were randomised to treatment with 5 mg letrozole (51 patients) or 100 mg clomiphene citrate (52 patients) daily starting day 2 to day 6 of menstrual cycle. Timed intercourse or Intra Uterine Insemination (IUI) was advised 24 to 36 hours after Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) injection.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

Ovulation rate, mono or multi follicular rate, days to ovulation, endometrial thickness, serum progesterone, serum estrogen, pregnancy rate, miscarriage rate.

RESULTS:

The mean age, Body Mass Index (BMI), duration of infertility in both Clomiphene Citrate (CC) and Letrozole groups were similar.Ovulation rate was 73.08% in letrozole group and 60.78% in CC, which was not statistically significant (P=0.398). There was no statistically significant difference between Endometrial thickness (CC 7.61 ±1.96, Let 7.65 ± 2.10), Sr E2 on day of HCG (CC 178.3 ± 94.15, Let 162.09 ± 73.24), Days to ovulation (CC 14.2 ± 3.41; Let 13.13 ± 2.99) and Sr P4 on D21 (CC 10.58 ± 6.65; Let 11.86 ± 6.51). Monofolliculo genesis (CC 54.84, Let 79.49 %, P=0.027) and Pregnancy rate (CC 7.84%, Let 21.56% P=0.0125) were statistically significantly higher in letrozole group.

CONCLUSION:

Our study shows that letrozole has excellent pregnancy rates compared to clomiphene citrate. Letrozole should be considered at par with clomiphene citrate as first line drug for ovulation induction in infertile PCOS women.

AIM:

The aim of this study is to compare ovarian response, oocyte, embryo quality, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome incidence, and pregnancy rates in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and non-PCOS group.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

This was a prospective observational study on PCOS carried out in seven assisted reproduction centers in India between August 2008 and July 2010, as part of trial under the Indian Society of Assisted Reproduction. A total of 192 women (77 in the PCOS group and 115 in the non- PCOS group) undergoing in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection were included. All women had long protocol and recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone stimulation.

ANALYSIS:

The mean number of follicles and oocytes was higher in PCOS group compared with non-PCOS, being 27.2 (±8.8) and 13.6 (±5.3); 15.9 (±6.3) and 10.9 (±6.2), respectively. The recovery rates of oocytes and mature oocytes per follicle were less in the PCOS group which was 64% and 61.1%, respectively as opposed to 80.3% and 74.5%, respectively in non-PCOS group. The total numbers of top-quality embryos were less in the PCOS group.

CONCLUSION:

In PCOS women though the number of follicles was more, recovery of mature oocytes, top-quality embryos was less. Pregnancy rates were comparable in both groups.

AIMS:

1. To study the distribution of various Rotterdam classified phenotypes of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) women, in our population. 2. To compare the four phenotypes with respect to anthropometric, clinical, and metabolic parameters. 3. To report the prevalence of insulin resistance (IR) and metabolic syndrome in these women.

SETTINGS AND DESIGN:

Private practice, Prospective cross-sectional comparative study.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Women attending gynecology outpatient with the primary complains of irregular menses and/or infertility were evaluated. Each of them underwent detailed clinical examination, transvaginal sonography, and biochemical and hormonal assays. Four hundred and ten women with a clinical diagnosis of PCOS based on Rotterdam criteria were included in the study. The four phenotypes were 1) PCO complete, that is oligo/anovulation (O) + polycystic ovaries (P) + hyperandrogenism (H) 2) P + O, 3) P + H, and 4) O + H. All women were also evaluated for metabolic syndrome (American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (AHA/NHLBI), modified Adult Treatment Panel (ATP) III 2005 guidelines) and IR (homeostatic model assessment-IR (HOMA-IR)).

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS:

Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 18.

RESULTS:

Largest group was PCOS complete (65.6%) followed by P + O (22.2%); H + O (11.2%); and P + H (0.9%). Overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 35.07%. Hyperandrogenic phenotyptes; H + O (50%) and P + H + O (37.04%), had significantly higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome than normoandrogenic P + O phenotype (10%) (P ≤ 0.001). Body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 (P = 0.0004; odds ratio (OR) = 3.07 (1.6574-5.7108, 95% CI)), waist circumference (WC) ≥ 80 cm (P = 0.001; OR = 3.68 (1.6807-8.0737, 95% CI)) and family history of diabetes (P = 0.019; OR 1.82 (1.1008-3.0194, 95% CI)), were strongly associated with the presence of metabolic syndrome. The overall prevalence of IR in PCOS women was 30.44% (HOMA-IR cutoff ≥ 3.8) and 34.94% (HOMA-IR cutoff ≥ 3.5).

CONCLUSIONS:

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome and IR was 35.07 and 30.44%, respectively. The hyperandrogenic phenotypes have significantly higher metabolic morbidity compared to normoandrgenic phenotype. BMI > 25, WC ≥ 80 cm, and family history of diabetes carry the highest risk for developing metabolic syndrome.

AIM:

To compare clomiphene citrate (CC), metformin or the combination of CC and metformin as the first line ovulation induction drug in Asian Indian women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

METHODS:

One hundred and five newly diagnosed, treatment naive PCOS women were recruited. They were randomized into any of the three groups: Group I (CC 50-150 mg/day), Group II (metformin 1700 mg/day), and Group III (CC + metformin in similar dosage to Groups I and II). Patients underwent follicular monitoring and advice on timed intercourse. The study period was 6 months, or till pregnant, or till CC resistant. Primary outcome studied was live birth rate (LBR). Secondary outcomes were ovulation rate, pregnancy rate, and early pregnancy loss rate.

RESULTS:

There was no significant difference among the groups in baseline characteristics and biochemical parameters. LBR was 41.6%, 37.5%, and 28.1%, respectively in Groups III, II, and I. Group III (CC + metformin) had the highest ovulation (83.3%), pregnancy (50%), and LBRs (41.6%). Group II (metformin) was as good as Group I (CC) in all the outcomes. CC + metformin (Group III) had statistically significantly higher ovulation rate as compared to CC alone (Group I) (P = 0.03; odds ratio: 95% confidence interval: 3.888 [1.08-13.997]).

CONCLUSION:

Thus, our study shows that metformin was as good as CC in terms of “LBR” and the combination of CC and metformin gave the highest ovulation and LBR.

BACKGROUND:

The purpose of the study was to determine cut-off values for ovarian volume (OV) and follicle number per ovary (FNPO) in Indian women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

METHODS:

Eighty six PCOS women (Rotterdam criteria) and forty five matched ovulatory and normo-androgenic women were recruited. A detailed 2D and 3D trans-vaginal scan was carried out in early follicular phase (D2-D5) in all patients. Ovarian volume, follicle number per ovary, stromal volume, vascularization index (VI), vascularization flow index (VFI) and flow index (FI) were measured in PCOS and controls. Mann-Whitney test and logistic analysis using PROC LOGISTIC function of SAS^® (Version 9.3) were used to calculate the best cut-offs for the diagnosis of PCOS.

RESULTS:

Mean ovarian volume was 13.7±5.89 and 5.06±2.44 (p<0.0001), FNPO was 19.18±6.89 and 7.13±3.51 (p<0.0001) in PCOS and controls, respectively. The cut-offs for the diagnosis of PCOS were 2D OV=6.15 cm³, 2D FNPO=12. By 3D scan, OV=7 cm³, FNPO=10, stromal volume=6 cm³, VI=4.546, VFI=2.925 and FI= 19.266. Youden’s Index (To select optimal predicted probability cut-off) was the highest for 2D FNPO (0.88786). 2D FNPO showed the highest specificity and sensitivity (AUC), 0.95238 and 0.93548, for the diagnostic accuracy of PCOS.

CONCLUSION:

2D and 3D trans-vaginal scans are equally accurate for assessment of ovarian morphology. FNPO has better diagnostic accuracy for PCOS compared to ovarian volume. Cut-off for FNPO and OV in Indian PCOS women is 12 and 6.15 cm³ by 2D, 10 and 7 cm³by 3D trans-vaginal scan.