Background: Reproductive outcomes after fresh in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection–embryo transfer (IVF/ICSI–ET) cycles are diverse in infertile women with a history of ovarian cystectomy for endometriomas. We aimed to develop a logistic regression model based on patients' characteristics including number of embryos transferred and stimulation protocols to predict the live birth rate in fresh IVF/ICSI–ET cycles for such patients. Methods: We recruited 513 infertile women with a history of ovarian cystectomy for endometriomas who underwent their first fresh ET with different stimulation protocols following IVF/ICSI cycles in our unit from January 2014 to December 2018. One or two embryo are implanted. Clinical and laboratory parameters potentially affecting the live birth rate following fresh ET cycles were analyzed. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to assess the relationship between predictive factors and live birth rate. Results: The overall live birth rate was 240/513 (46.8%). Multivariable modified Poisson regression models showed that two factors were significantly lowers the probability of live birth: female age ≥ 5 years (aOR 0.603; 95% CI 0.389–0.933; P = 0.023); BMI range 21–24.99 kg/m 2 compared with BMI <21 kg/m 2 (aOR 0.572; 95% CI 0.372–0.881, P = 0.011). And two factors significantly increased the probability of live birth: AFC >7 (aOR 1.591; 95% CI 1.075–2.353; P = 0.020); two embryos transferred (aOR 1.607; 95% CI 1.089–2.372; P = 0.017). Conclusions: For these infertile women who had undergone ovarian cystectomy for endometriosis, female age <35 years, AFC > 7, and two embryos transferred might achieve better clinical fresh IVF/ICSI–ET outcomes. BMI <21 kg/m 2 or ≥25 kg/m 2 might also have positive effects on the live birth rate, but different ovarian stimulation protocols had no significant effects. However, a larger sample size may be needed for further study.
To study whether infertile patients with endometriosis have a higher prevalence of endometrial polyps, and to clarify the characteristics of the pathology of combined polyps.Infertile patients who had undergone both hysteroscopy and laparoscopy in Reproductive Hospital Affiliated with Shandong University from January 2014 to May 2017 were enrolled. Patients with and without endometriosis, diagnosed by laparoscopy, were staged and included in the study group and control group, respectively, and the prevalence of polyps was compared. The pathological types of endometrial polyps were analyzed.A total of 414 cases were enrolled in the study group and 3,048 cases in the control group; polyps were diagnosed, with endoscopy, in 1,107 patients. Endometrial polyps were detected by hysteroscopy in 47.83% of the endometriosis group and 29.82% of the control group. The prevalence of endometrial polyps was significantly higher in the endometriosis group than in the control group (p < 0.001) but not significantly different between stages of endometriosis (p = 0.580). The pathological diagnosis included 899 endometrial polyps and 208 polypoid hyperplasia; 66.5% of endometrial polyps were combined with simple hyperplasia.The infertile patients with endometriosis had a higher prevalence of endometrial polyps, and those polyps are often combined with simple hyperplasia.
Abstract Background A sufficient endometrial thickness (EMT) is essential for successful pregnancy. For patients with a thin endometrium (EMT ≤7.5 mm on human chorionic gonadotropin [HCG] trigger day) in IVF, some studies have suggested freezing all embryos and preparing the endometrium in the subsequent frozen-thawed cycle, but not all patients can obtain a thicker endometrium during endometrial preparation in the frozen embryo transfer cycle than on HCG trigger day in the fresh embryo transfer cycle. This study aimed to investigate which characteristics of patients with a thin endometrium suggest the possibility of EMT >7.5 mm in the subsequent frozen cycle, and build up a prediction nomogram. Methods Data were collected from the university-based reproductive medical center between January 2013 and September 2019. Multivariable logistic regression was used to generate the final prediction model and construct the nomogram. Model performances were quantified by discrimination and calibration. Results The predictive variables that entered the final model were: hysteroscopic adhesiolysis history, PCOS status, application of clomiphene in the ovarian stimulation process, the ovarian stimulation protocol, and the endometrial preparation protocol. The receiver operating characteristic curve for the final model and validation cohort was 0.76 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.722–0.797) and 0.71 (95% CI: 0.66–0.76), respectively. Discrimination performed well in both the modeling and validation cohorts. Conclusion We conclude that in women with a thin endometrium (EMT ≤7.5 mm on HCG trigger day), the absence of a hysteroscopic adhesiolysis history, and the presence of PCOS, the application of clomiphene in the ovarian stimulation process, the application of a GnRH agonist short protocol, mild stimulation protocol, natural cycle protocol, and natural cycle for endometrial preparation are prognostic for an increased possibility of EMT >7.5 mm in the subsequent frozen cycle.
A thin endometrium affects embryo implantation. We designed a retrospective cohort study to analyze the differences of in vitro fertilization-intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF-ICSI) outcomes between fresh embryo transfer (ET) and frozen ET in patients with a thin endometrium.The present study comprised of 1,110 patients with a thin endometrium undergoing IVF-ICSI between January 2013 and December 2017 in our unit. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance the influence of intergroup confounding factors and to compare the pregnancy outcomes of the matched patients in the two groups. The fresh embryo group and frozen embryo group consisted of 632 and 478 women, respectively. After PSM, 173 patients were included in the two groups, respectively.The frozen embryo group showed a higher live birth rate (31% vs. 18.4%, P<0.001; 30.6% vs. 19.7%, P=0.019), clinical pregnancy rate (40% vs. 26.4%, P<0.001; 38.7% vs. 25.4%, P=0.008), and biochemical pregnancy rate (46.2% vs. 32.9%, P<0.001; 44.5% vs. 31.8%, P=0.020) than the fresh embryo group before and after PSM.Our results demonstrated that for women with a thin endometrium who were undergoing IVF, the live birth rate, clinical pregnancy rate, and biochemical pregnancy rate after frozen ET were significantly higher than in the fresh ET group.
Intrauterine adhesion (IUA) refers to injury to the basal layer of the endometrium, which can be caused by various factors. It is often accompanied by clinical symptoms such as abnormal menstruation, infertility, recurrent abortion, and periodic abdominal pain. In recent years, a number of studies have reported the effects of β-Klotho (KLB) on the occurrence and development of human tumors and fibrotic diseases, but its relationship with endometrial fibroblasts and endometrial fibrosis has not been elucidated. In this study, we compared the expression of KLB in endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) from patients with IUA and normal controls. We constructed animal and cell models of IUA and conducted expression verification and functional experiments on KLB. We found that the expression of KLB was significantly increased in the ESCs of IUA patients and rat models compared with the controls. The overexpression of KLB could promote the proliferation and fibrosis of ESCs. In addition, the overexpression of KLB activated the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in ESCs. Our study shows that KLB protein is highly expressed in the ESCs of patients with IUA and can enhance stromal cell proliferation and cell fibrosis by activating the PI3K/AKT pathway, thus promoting the development of IUA.