TITLE:
Follicular Fluid Cortisol Releasing Hormone (CRH) Levels and Assisted Reproductive Treatment (ART) Outcomes
AUTHORS:
L. N. Lim, P. R. Supramaniam, M. Mittal, E. A. Linton, E. McVeigh
KEYWORDS:
Cortisol Releasing Hormone (CRH), In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), Intra-Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), Follicles, Mature Oocytes
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Vol.7 No.13,
December
20,
2017
ABSTRACT: Purpose: Can Cortisol Releasing Hormone (CRH) levels in follicular fluid predict
outcomes following assisted reproductive treatment (ART) cycles? Methods: Prospective cohort study of 50 women undergoing in vitro fertilisation (IVF)/intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection
(ICSI) cycles over a two month study period. All patients were treated on the
long stimulation protocol; follicular fluid was aspirated and pooled for each
patient. The samples were processed appropriately and assayed using CRH
radioimmunoassay (RIA). Results: This study confirmed that CRH was
present in follicular fluid. The average level detected was 173 ± 9 pg/mL (mean
± standard error of mean [SEM]). The data suggests a positive correlation of
CRH follicular fluid levels greater than 145 pg/mL with successful ART
outcomes. Conclusion: The data indicates a positive correlation between
ART outcomes and the presence of follicular fluid CRH levels greater than 145
pg/mL. The results should be interpreted with caution due to the small sample
size and pooling of follicular fluid per patient. Furthermore, the pooling of
follicular fluid is not representative of CRH levels in an individual follicle,
and thus, mature oocyte. This study serves as a reminder to what has previously
been hypothesised.