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Hum. Reprod. Advance Access originally published online on May 14, 2009
Human Reproduction 2009 24(9):2293-2302; doi:10.1093/humrep/dep069
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© The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Homocysteine concentrations in follicular fluid are associated with poor oocyte and embryo qualities in polycystic ovary syndrome patients undergoing assisted reproduction

Bülent Berker1, Cemil Kaya2,3, Rusen Aytac1 and Hakan Satiroglu1

1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey 2 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ufuk University, Mevlana Bulvari (Konya Yolu) No: 86-88, 06520 Balgat, Ankara, Turkey

3 Correspondence address. E-mail: kayacemil000{at}yahoo.com

BACKGROUND: A poor quality of oocytes and embryos and a low fertilization rate have been found in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients. An inverse association between follicular fluid homocysteine (Hcy) levels and oocyte and embryo quality has also been demonstrated. We examined the relationship between follicular fluid Hcy concentrations and oocyte and embryo quality in PCOS patients undergoing assisted reproduction.

METHODS: Fifty-two PCOS patients were included in the study, and underwent GnRH agonist/recombinant FSH treatment. The Hcy, folate, vitamin B12, malonyldialdehyde (MDA) and estradiol (E2) levels were measured in follicular fluid from single oocytes at time of retrieval. One follicle per ovary was sampled and 94 were analysed. Plasma hormones were also measured. Oocytes and embryos were graded (1–3) using standard approaches.

RESULTS: The concentrations of Hcy, E2, vitamin B12, folate and MDA in plasma were higher than in follicular fluid (all P < 0.001). Significant differences were observed in follicular Hcy levels between Grade 3 and Grade 2 oocytes (P < 0.001). Hcy levels were lower in Grade 1–2 embryos than that in Grade 3 embryos; follicular fluid vitamin B12 levels were lower in patients showing high concentrations of follicular fluid Hcy (P < 0.01). The follicular fluid Hcy levels were negatively correlated with follicular fluid vitamin B12 (r = –0.44), folate (r = –0.68) and fertilization rate (r = –0.85), and positively correlated with follicular fluid MDA (r = 0.51).

CONCLUSIONS: Concentrations of Hcy in follicular fluid on the dOPU may be a useful marker for fertilization rate, and oocyte and embryo quality in PCOS patients undergoing assisted reproduction.

Key words: homocysteine/polycystic ovary syndrome/malonyldialdehyde/assisted reproduction

Submitted on November 6, 2008; resubmitted on February 13, 2009; accepted on February 22, 2009.


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