The gene expression profile of cumulus cells reveals altered pathways in patients with endometriosis.

Purpose: The objective of this experimental study was to compare the global gene expression profile of CC of mature oocytes in 18 patients with severe endometriosis and CC in 18 control patients affected by a severe male factor.

Methods: For each group, the CC were pooled, RNA was extracted and a microarray performed. For validating the microarray, a quantitative real-time PCR was performed in the CC of an independent set of patients with endometriosis (n = 5) and controls (n = 7).

A "four-cycle program" improves the estimate of the cumulative pregnancy rate and increases the number of actual pregnancies in IUI treatment: a cohort study.

Objective: To demonstrate that reduction of the cumulative dropout rate (CDR) improves the accuracy of the estimate of the cumulative pregnancy rate (CPR) in a set of four intrauterine insemination (IUI) cycles ("four-cycle program") and increases the total number of pregnancies obtained.

Study Design: Single-centre retrospective observational cohort study of couples who underwent IUI cycles at the Andros Day Surgery Clinic, Palermo, from 1997 to 2011. The main outcome measure was the calculation of the CPR, with life table analysis, firstly by giving the same probability of pregnancy to the dropouts as the patients who continued the treatment (usual method) and secondly by considering this probability null (conservative method).