Mild Stimulation Protocol Versus Microdose Gonadotropin-releasing Hormone Agonist Flare up Protocol in Poor Responders

NCT ID: NCT01213147

Last Updated: 2010-10-01

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

PHASE4

Total Enrollment

159 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2009-04-30

Study Completion Date

2010-05-31

Brief Summary

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Despite the progression in assisted reproductive technology (ART), the preferred protocol for poor responders is still controversial. The management of poor responders consists of 10% of ART cycles .

The response to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) is lower regarding estradiol level , number of obtained oocytes , and fertilization , implantation and pregnancy rates in patients with low ovarian reserve . Furthermore , bad quality embryos are observed in these women more than normoresponders and the increase of cancellation rate and doses of gonadotropin administration are remarkable results in poor responders . Several criteria have introduced for poor responders , the main defect in the management of them is lack of specific definition .Several strategies are available to improve ART cycles outcome in poor responders. These modalities include using : high FSH dose , stop GnRH-agonist protocol , addition of growth hormone , transdermal testosterone , aromatase inhibitor , GnRH-antagonist and recombinant FSH ( r-FSH) ; while the improvement of pregnancy rate has been quite low.

The most common used protocol for ovarian stimulation is microdose GnRH-agonist flare in poor responders .Some investigators concluded that the use of GnRH-agonist " even in lower doses , led to prolonged stimulation and increased the cost without improving IVF outcome. Furthermore this method increased LH , progesterone and androgen of serum in follicular phase , which caused deleterious effect on follicular growth and oocyte quality .

Clomiphene citrate co-treatment with gonadotropin and antagonist are one of the recommended protocol in poor responders . Clomiphene citrate increases endogenous FSH versus agonist in microdose protocol. Decreasing the doses of used gonadotropin and duration of stimulation are its beneficial effects in COH cycle .

The aim of this study was comparing CC/gonadotropin/antagonist and GnRH agonist flare protocols on IVF outcome in poor responders .

Detailed Description

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Despite the progression in assisted reproductive technology (ART) , the preferred protocol for poor responders is still controversial. The management of poor responders consists of 10% of ART cycles .

The response to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) is lower regarding estradiol (E₂) level , number of obtained oocytes , and fertilization , implantation and pregnancy rates in patients with low ovarian reserve . Furthermore , bad quality embryos are observed in these women more than normoresponders and the increase of cancellation rate and doses of gonadotropin administration are remarkable results in poor responders Several criteria have introduced for poor responders , the main defect in the management of them is lack of specific definition .Several strategies are available to improve ART cycles outcome in poor responders. These modalities include using : high FSH dose , stop GnRH-agonist protocol , addition of growth hormone , transdermal testosterone , aromatase inhibitor , GnRH-antagonist and recombinant FSH ( r-FSH) ; while the improvement of pregnancy rate has been quite low.

The most common used protocol for ovarian stimulation is microdose GnRH-agonist flare in poor responders .Some investigators concluded that the use of GnRH-agonist " even in lower doses " led to prolonged stimulation and increased the cost without improving IVF outcome. Furthermore this method increased LH , progesterone and androgen of serum in follicular phase , which caused deleterious effect on follicular growth and oocyte quality .

Clomiphene citrate co-treatment with gonadotropin and antagonist are one of the recommended protocol in poor responders . Clomiphene citrate increases endogenous FSH versus agonist in microdose protocol. Decreasing the doses of used gonadotropin and duration of stimulation are its beneficial effects in COH cycle .

The aim of this study was comparing CC/gonadotropin/antagonist and GnRH agonist flare protocols on IVF outcome in poor responders .

Materials and Methods Study design This study was a prospective randomized controlled trial including 159 poor responder patients who were candidate for IVF . Women with ≥38 years old who had one or more previous failed IVF cycles in which three or fewer oocyte were been retrieved and/or serum E2 level on the day of hCG administration was ≤500 pg/ml were enrolled in this study . Patients with BMI \> 30 , endocrine or metabolic disorders , history of ovarian surgery , sever endometriosis and sever male factor ( azospermia ) were excluded from the study . Patients were divided into two groups , 79 women in group I received CC/gonadotropin/antagonist (mild protocol) and 80 women in group II received microdose GnRH-agonist flare (microdose protocol) . A method of computer-generated randomization was used .

Treatment Protocols All women received oral contraceptive for 21 days which started on the first day of previous cycle . In group I , stimulation were performed by administration of clomiphene citrate (Iran hormone, Tehran, Iran) 100 mg from day 3 of withdrawal bleeding until day 7 of cycle and gonadotropin stimulation with 225-300 IU daily , recombinant FSH (r-FSH) SC or hMG IM , were started from day 5 of cycle . In group II ovarian stimulation was initiated with GnRH-agonist , buserelin (Suprefact, Aventis Pharma, Frankfurt, Germany) 50 µg SC twice a day from cycle day 2 of withdrawal bleeding . After two days , 225-300 IU/day recombinant FSH (r-FSH) SC or hMG IM were administered.

Ovarian response was monitored by serial ultrasound examinations and evaluation of serum E₂ levels , then doses of gonadotropin were adjusted as required in both groups.

In group I , when at least one follicle ≥ 14 mm in mean diameter was observed , 0.25 mg GnRH antagonist (ganirelix , Organon, netherlands) SC daily was started and continued until hCG injection . Urinary Human chorionic gonadotropin 10000 IU was administered intramuscular when at least two follicles reached a mean diameter of 18 mm in both groups . Also , endometrial thickness and serum E₂ level were measured on the day of hCG injection .Oocyte retrieval was performed 34-36 hours after hCG injection and conventional IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) was done as appropriately . All embryos were scored by the number , size , shape , symmetry and cytoplasmic appearance of blastomers , and the presence of anucleate cytoplasmic fragmentation .

Based on the number and quality of available embryos and patient's age , one to five embryos were transferred on the day 2 or 3 after oocyte retrieval under ultrasound guidance with a CCD embryo transfer catheter (Laboratory C.C.D., Paris, France). Luteal support with progesterone 100 mg daily IM was started on the day of oocyte retrieval and was continued until the documentation of fetal heart activity on ultrasound.

Cycle cancellation was defined as three groups : \[1\] poor ovarian response : fewer than two growing follicles on transvaginal ultrasound, and an E₂ level \< 200 pg/ml on the day 7 of stimulation ; \[2\] failed oocyte retrieval : no obtained oocyte on the day of ovarian puncture ; \[3\] failed fertilization : no fertilized oocyte after IVF/ICSI.

Conditions

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Pregnancy

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Investigators

Study Groups

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clomiphene citrate,pregnancy,poor responders

Woman in clomiphene citrate arm are administered 100mg/day oral from day 3 of menstrual cycle until day 7 of cycle

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

clomiphene citrate

Intervention Type DRUG

100 mg per day oral for 7 days

buserelin,pregnancy,poor responder

women in control arm are administered Buserelin buserelin 50 µg SC twice a day from cycle day 2 of menstrual cycle

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

buserelin

Intervention Type DRUG

50 µg Subcutaneous twice a day from cycle day 2 of menstrual cycle

Interventions

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clomiphene citrate

100 mg per day oral for 7 days

Intervention Type DRUG

buserelin

50 µg Subcutaneous twice a day from cycle day 2 of menstrual cycle

Intervention Type DRUG

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Women with ≥38 years old
* women who had one or more previous failed IVF cycles in which three or fewer oocyte were been retrieved and/or serum E2 level on the day of hCG administration was ≤500 pg/ml were enrolled in this study

Exclusion Criteria

* BMI \> 30
* endocrine disorders
* metabolic disorders
* history of ovarian surgery
* sever endometriosis
* sever male factor ( azospermia )
Minimum Eligible Age

38 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

45 Years

Eligible Sex

FEMALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Yazd Research & Clinical Center for Infertility

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Yazd Medical University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Yazd Research and Clinical centre for infertility

Principal Investigators

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Mehri Mashayekhy, infertility fellowship

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Yazd Research and Clinical Centre for Infertility

Locations

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Yazd Research and Clinical Center for Infertility

Yazd, Yazd Province, Iran

Site Status

Countries

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Iran

Other Identifiers

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2063

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id