The aromatase inhibitor letrozole increases the concentration of intraovarian androgens and improves in vitro fertilization outcome in low responder patients: a pilot study

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of aromatase inhibitors as adjuvant treatment in IVF cycles on intraovarian androgens and cycle outcome. DESIGN: Observational, pilot study. SETTING: University-affiliated IVF unit. PATIENT(S): One hundred forty-seven low responder patients with a previous canceled IVF cycle; 71 patients were treated with letrozole 2.5 mg plus a high-dose FSH/hMG-antagonist regimen, and 76 patients were similarly treated but letrozole was not employed. INTERVENTION(S): In vitro fertilization treatment with an antagonist FSH/hMG protocol with or without letrozole was administered during the first 5 days of stimulation; hormones were evaluated in both serum and follicular fluid. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Number of oocytes retrieved, fertilization rate, implantation rate, and pregnancy rate; androstenedione, T, E2, and P values in serum and follicular fluid. RESULT(S): Letrozole-treated patients showed significantly higher levels of follicular fluid T and androstenedione (80.3 vs. 43.8 pg/mL and 57.9 vs. 37.4 mg/mL, respectively). Similarly, these patients had a higher number of oocytes retrieved (6.1 vs. 4.3) and a higher implantation rate (25% vs. 9.4%) despite similar doses of FSH/hMG (3,627 vs. 3,804 IU). CONCLUSION(S): Adding 2.5 mg of letrozole to a high-dose FSH/hMG antagonist protocol increases intraovarian androstenedione and T concentration and improves IVF cycle outcome in poor responder patients.