Advanced glycation end-products and its soluble receptor are not independent predictors of incident dysglycaemia or metabolic syndrome in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a prospective observational study.

Background: To evaluate the association of serum advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) and its soluble receptor of AGE (sRAGE) levels with dysglycaemia and metabolic syndrome in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Methods: This was an analysis of a cohort of women with PCOS who were prospectively recruited for a longitudinal observational study on their endocrine and metabolic profile between January 2010 and December 2013. The association of serum AGEs and sRAGE levels with dysglycaemia and metabolic syndrome at the second-year visit (the index visit) and the sixth-year visit (the outcome visit) were determined.

Knowledge, attitude and ethical consideration of Chinese couples requesting preimplantation genetic testing in Hong Kong.

Aim: Increasing preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) cycles are being performed in Hong Kong. This study aims to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and ethical consideration of Chinese couples toward PGT.

Methods: Couples requesting PGT between June 2013 and March 2014 were invited to complete a questionnaire.

Evaluation of preimplantation genetic testing for chromosomal structural rearrangement by a commonly used next generation sequencing workflow.

Objectives: To evaluate the applicability of a commonly used next generation sequencing workflow in detecting unbalanced meiotic segregation products for reciprocal translocation and inversion carriers.

Study Design: All preimplantation genetic testing treatment cycles performed for reciprocal translocation or inversion carriers from 2012 to April 2017 were included. Three hundreds and forty-two archived whole genome amplified DNA, which had previously analyzed by array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH), were retrospectively analyzed by next generation sequencing (NGS).

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis for monogenic diseases.

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) was first reported in 1990. Thereafter, more and more indications for PGD, including monogenic diseases (MGD) and translocations, are presently available, and the list of indications of PGD is expanding from early-onset and serious conditions to late-onset diseases. Polymerase chain reaction has been used for PGD of MGD, while newer techniques, including karyomapping and next-generation sequencing, emerge in recent decade.

A randomized double-blinded controlled trial of hCG as luteal phase support in natural cycle frozen embryo transfer.

Study Question: Does the use of hCG as luteal phase support in natural cycle frozen embryo transfer (FET) increase the ongoing pregnancy rate?

Study Answer: The use of hCG in natural cycle FET did not improve the ongoing pregnancy rate.

What Is Known Already: The use of luteal phase support in stimulated cycles has been associated with higher live-birth rates and the results are similar when using hCG or progesterone.

Study Design Size, Duration: This is a randomized double-blinded controlled trial of 450 women recruited between August 2013 and October 2015.

A randomized double-blind controlled trial of the use of dydrogesterone in women with threatened miscarriage in the first trimester: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Miscarriage is a common complication of pregnancy occurring in 15-20 % of all clinically recognized pregnancies. Currently, there is still no good scientific evidence to support the routine use of progestogens for the treatment of threatened miscarriage because the existing studies were not large enough to show a significant difference and some of them were not randomized or double-blind.

Methods: This is a double-blind, randomized controlled trial.

The effect of 7 days of letrozole pretreatment combined with misoprostol on the expression of progesterone receptor and apoptotic factors of placental and decidual tissues from first-trimester abortion: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To evaluate if letrozole-induced suppression of estradiol reduces progesterone receptor expression and apoptosis in the first-trimester placenta.

Study Design: We performed a double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. We randomized 20 women requesting first-trimester abortion with gestation up to 63 days to receive either letrozole 10 mg daily or placebo pretreatment for 7 days before administrating 400 mcg of vaginal misoprostol followed by suction abortion.

Experience of more than 100 preimplantation genetic diagnosis cycles for monogenetic diseases using whole genome amplification and linkage analysis in a single centre.

Objective: To report the outcomes of more than 100 cycles of preimplantation genetic diagnosis for monogenetic diseases.

Design: Case series.

Setting: Tertiary assisted reproductive centre in Hong Kong, where patients needed to pay for the cost of preimplantation genetic diagnosis on top of standard in-vitro fertilisation charges.

Comparison between fluorescent in-situ hybridisation and array comparative genomic hybridisation in preimplantation genetic diagnosis in translocation carriers.

Objectives: To compare the pregnancy outcome of the fluorescent in-situ hybridisation and array comparative genomic hybridisation in preimplantation genetic diagnosis of translocation carriers.

Design: Historical cohort.

Setting: A teaching hospital in Hong Kong.

Ovarian response and cumulative live birth rate of women undergoing in-vitro fertilisation who had discordant anti-Mullerian hormone and antral follicle count measurements: a retrospective study.

Objective: To evaluate ovarian response and cumulative live birth rate of women undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment who had discordant baseline serum anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) level and antral follicle count (AFC).

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study on 1,046 women undergoing the first IVF cycle in Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong. Subjects receiving standard IVF treatment with the GnRH agonist long protocol were classified according to their quartiles of baseline AMH and AFC measurements after GnRH agonist down-regulation and before commencing ovarian stimulation.

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis using combined strategies on a breast cancer patient with a novel genomic deletion in BRCA2.

Purpose: To perform Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) on a paternal Brca2 unknown mutation carrier with early-onset breast cancer, whose paternal grandmother and mother had breast cancer at 60s.

Method: Elucidating the linkage via single sperm haplotyping on patient's carrier brother, and identifying the genomic deletion via BLAST followed by PCR screening. PGD was subsequently conducted.

The effect of endometrial injury on ongoing pregnancy rate in unselected subfertile women undergoing in vitro fertilization: a randomized controlled trial.

Study Question: Does endometrial injury in the cycle preceding ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization (IVF) improve the ongoing pregnancy rate in unselected subfertile women?

Summary Answer: Endometrial injury induced by endometrial aspiration in the preceding cycle does not improve the ongoing pregnancy rate in unselected subfertile women undergoing IVF.

What Is Known Already: Implantation failure remains one of the major limiting factors for IVF success. Mechanical endometrial injury in the cycle preceding ovarian stimulation of IVF treatment has been shown to improve implantation and pregnancy rates in women with repeated implantation failures.

Live birth following double-factor pre-implantation genetic diagnosis for both reciprocal translocation and alpha-thalassaemia.

We report a live birth from a couple with two genetic diseases, namely: reciprocal translocation carrier and alpha-thalassaemia trait, following pre-implantation genetic diagnostic tests. This is the first case in Hong Kong in which the technique of using one blastomere biopsy for two diseases was established, using array comparative genomic hybridisation and polymerase chain reaction.

Role of baseline antral follicle count and anti-Mullerian hormone in the index stimulation cycle of IVF treatment in predicting outcome of subsequent frozen-thawed embryo transfers.

This retrospective cohort study aims at determining whether baseline antral follicle count (AFC) and serum anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) level in the index stimulation cycle predict live-birth outcome in subsequent frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) cycles. We studied 500 women undergoing the first IVF cycle who had embryo(s) cryopreserved. The main outcome measures were live-birth in the first FET cycle and cumulative live-birth in all the FETs combined after the same stimulation cycle.

Effect of preovulatory progesterone elevation and duration of progesterone elevation on the pregnancy rate of frozen-thawed embryo transfer in natural cycles.

Objective: To assess the incidence of P elevation (PE) in natural cycles and evaluate its effect on frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles performed in natural cycles (FET-NC).

Study Design: Retrospective analysis.

Setting: A tertiary assisted reproductive unit.

Live birth rate, multiple pregnancy rate, and obstetric outcomes of elective single and double embryo transfers: Hong Kong experience.

Objective: To compare the live birth rate, multiple pregnancy rate, and obstetric outcomes of elective single and double embryo transfers.

Design: Case series with internal comparisons.

Setting: University affiliated hospital, Hong Kong.

Cumulative live-birth rate in women with polycystic ovary syndrome or isolated polycystic ovaries undergoing in-vitro fertilisation treatment.

Purpose: This retrospective cohort study evaluated the cumulative live birth rate in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and isolated polycystic ovaries (PCO) undergoing in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment.

Methods: We studied 104 women with PCOS, 184 with PCO and 576 age-matched controls undergoing the first IVF treatment cycle between 2002 and 2009. The main outcome measure was cumulative live birth in the fresh plus all the frozen embryo transfers combined after the same stimulation cycle.

Ovarian sensitivity index is a better measure of ovarian responsiveness to gonadotrophin stimulation than the number of oocytes during in-vitro fertilization treatment.

Purpose: To validate the use of the ovarian sensitivity index (OSI) as a measure of ovarian response during in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment.

Methods: This is a retrospective study carried out in an assisted reproduction unit in a teaching hospital. We analysed data from 2,556 women undergoing the first IVF cycle between 2002 and 2009.

Role of baseline antral follicle count and anti-Mullerian hormone in prediction of cumulative live birth in the first in vitro fertilisation cycle: a retrospective cohort analysis.

Objective: This retrospective study determined for the first time the role of baseline antral follicle count (AFC) and serum anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) level in the first in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) cycle in predicting cumulative live birth from one stimulation cycle.

Methods: We studied 1,156 women (median age 35 years) undergoing the first IVF cycle. Baseline AFC and AMH level on the day before ovarian stimulation were analysed.