Prevalence of sarcopenia and mortality rate in older adults with hip fracture.

Background: Several international study groups adopted appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) index adjusted by (1) height squared, (2) weight, and (3) body mass index (BMI) in the diagnosis of sarcopenia. However, different prevalence rates of sarcopenia by each index and clinical implications were not well known. The purpose of this study was to compare the differences in (1) the percentage of sarcopenia in hip fracture patients and (2) the relative mortality rate according to the sarcopenia criteria of three ASM indices.

Marginal differences in preimplantation morphokinetics between conventional IVF and ICSI in patients with preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A): A sibling oocyte study.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the morphokinetic behaviour between conventional IVF and ICSI, in cycles with preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidies (PGT-A).

Materials: A randomized controlled trial (NCT03708991) was conducted in a private fertility center. Thirty couples with non-male factor infertility were recruited between November 2018 and April 2019.

Segmental duplications and monosomies are linked to in vitro developmental arrest.

Purpose: To verify which genetic abnormalities prevent embryos to blastulate in a stage-specific time.

Methods: A single center retrospective study was performed between April 2016 and January 2017. Patients requiring Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidies (PGT-A) by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) were included.

The ART of frozen embryo transfer: back to nature!

The implementation of cryopreservation-techniques in the IVF laboratory and the improved survival rates of oocytes, cleavage and blastocyst stage embryos have led to a significant increase in the number of frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles (FET). FETs can be planned either in a 'pure' natural cycle, a modified natural cycle, a stimulated cycle or a hormonal replacement therapy cycle and the optimal means to prepare the endometrium for frozen embryo transfer is a topic of ongoing controversy. Recent findings report an increased risk of hypertensive disorders if pregnancy is achieved in a frozen embryo transfer cycle without an existing corpus luteum.

Inter-assay variation and reproducibility of progesterone measurements during ovarian stimulation for IVF.

In recent years there is increasing evidence that elevated progesterone levels during ovarian stimulation for IVF / ICSI have a negative impact on the ART-outcome. However, different progesterone assays were used in the previous studies and different assays might produce varying results. This retrospective study evaluated the reproducibility and reliability of different progesterone assays with a special focus on progesterone levels below 1.

Clinical reassessment of human embryo ploidy status between cleavage and blastocyst stage by Next Generation Sequencing.

One of the most important limitations of genetic testing in preimplantation embryos is embryonic mosaicism, especially when performed on D3 with only a single blastomere evaluated. Previous publications, using Array-Comparative Genomic Hybridization (a-CGH) to compare day 3 (D3) biopsies versus trophectoderm biopsies for the analysis of aneuploid embryos, showed similar high concordance rates per embryo diagnosis for D3 biopsies and trophectoderm biopsies. Next generation sequencing (NGS) was introduced lately as a new technique for preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidies (PGT-A).

Premature progesterone rise in ART-cycles.

Premature rise of progesterone during the late follicular phase in stimulated IVF cycles is a frequent event and its effect on the endometrial receptivity and on the ART (Assisted Reproductive Technique) - outcome has become a matter of intense debate and research. An emerging body of evidence demonstrates that premature progesterone rise does have a negative impact on the outcome of the ART-success. Until now, the exact cause of progesterone elevation is not fully clear, however lately published studies points to the fact, that premature progesterone elevation might be caused by enhanced FSH stimulation.

Luteal phase serum progesterone levels after GnRH-agonist trigger - how low is still high enough for an ongoing pregnancy?

In the past years, individualization of assisted reproductive technique (ART)-treatment is increasingly common to customize the treatment protocol to the patient's specific conditions. The use of GnRH-agonist for final oocyte maturation in a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-antagonist protocol is the best approach to reduce the risk for ovarian hyperstimulation in high responder patients. However, due to severe luteolysis, the reproductive outcome with this approach in combination with the use of vaginal progesterone as luteal phase support, was poor.

Individual luteolysis pattern after GnRH-agonist trigger for final oocyte maturation.

Final oocyte maturation using GnRH-agonist trigger in a GnRH-antagonist protocol is increasingly common, as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome is almost completely avoided. However, this approach might lead to reduced pregnancy rates due to severe luteolysis. This proof of concept study evaluated the extend of luteolysis by measuring progesterone levels 48 hours after oocyte retrieval in 51 patients, who received GnRH-agonist trigger for final oocyte maturation in a GnRH-antagonist protocol due to the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.

Fertility preservation in prepubertal girls prior to chemotherapy and radiotherapy--review of the literature.

Significant improvement in the survival rates of children with pediatric cancers has been achieved over the last 25 years, so the number of long-term survivors is increasing and their subsequent quality of life is of increasing importance. One of the most serious side effects of chemotherapy or radiotherapy is damage to the ovarian function, which can lead to loss of fertility. The degree of this damage depends on the substances used, the dose of radiotherapy reaching the ovaries, and the age of the girl at the time of treatment.

Antisperm antibodies in cervical mucus in an unselected subfertile population.

To determine the incidence and the clinical significance of antisperm antibodies (ASA) in cervical secretions in an unselected subfertile population, cervical mucus samples of 192 patients with long-standing infertility were screened by means of the indirect mixed antiglobulin reaction (MAR) test allowing differentiation for immunoglobulin (Ig)A and IgG in a parallel test setting. In addition, the indirect MAR IgG test in cervical mucus was evaluated by means of IgG coated latex particles instead of sensitized erythrocytes as the indicator system. All cervical mucus samples were taken under standardized conditions.