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Serum Stem Cell Factor Assay in Elderly Poor Responder Patients Undergoing IVF: A New Biomarker to Customize Follicle Aspiration Cycle by Cycle

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Abstract

In humans, stem cell factor (SCF), produced during follicular phase, may reflect a successful stimulation and oocyte maturation and so it may be a predictor of in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcome. An observational cohort study was conducted on 37 poor responders scheduled for fresh nondonor IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatment with standard controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) using recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone (rFSH; S-COS group). A total of 35 women received a second treatment using both rFSH and recombinant luteinizing hormone (rLH; LH-COS group). From 144 samples collected at pickup day, serum concentration of SCF (s-SCF) and follicular levels of SCF (f-SCF) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. No differences were observed between the 2 protocols in terms of both f-SCF and s-SCF levels. The comparison between f-SCF and s-SCF levels showed a strong linear correlation. The comparison between s-SCF levels and clinical outcomes showed a statistically significant correlation between both the number of metaphase II (MII) oocytes retrieved and the embryos obtained after fertilization. Cases with at least 3 MII oocytes showed s-SCF values >800 pg/mL, 2 MII oocytes >600 pg/mL, and 1 MII oocytes >400 pg/mL. In 100% of cases with s-SCF <400 pg/mL, no MII oocytes were recovered. All 5 pregnancies occurred in patients with s-SCF values >1000 pg/mL. The introduction of s-SCF assay in the management of poor-responder patients may contribute to solving the dilemma of whether to cancel or proceed with the stimulation cycle.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Woman and Child Health—University of Padua, Padua, Italy

    Salvatore Gizzo MD, Alessandra Andrisani MD, PhD, Amerigo Vitagliano MD, Federica Esposito MD, Cecilia Zicchina BSc, Michele Gangemi MD & Marco Noventa MD

  2. Department of Molecular Medicine-Biological Chemistry, University of Padua, Padua, Italy

    Michela Quaranta MD

  3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy

    Luciana Bordin BSc

  4. Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, “Magna Graecia” University, Catanzaro, Italy

    Roberta Venturella MD

Authors
  1. Salvatore Gizzo MD
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  2. Michela Quaranta MD
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  3. Alessandra Andrisani MD, PhD
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  4. Luciana Bordin BSc
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  5. Amerigo Vitagliano MD
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  6. Federica Esposito MD
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  7. Roberta Venturella MD
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  8. Cecilia Zicchina BSc
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  9. Michele Gangemi MD
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  10. Marco Noventa MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Salvatore Gizzo MD.

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Gizzo, S., Quaranta, M., Andrisani, A. et al. Serum Stem Cell Factor Assay in Elderly Poor Responder Patients Undergoing IVF: A New Biomarker to Customize Follicle Aspiration Cycle by Cycle. Reprod. Sci. 23, 61–68 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719115594020

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719115594020

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