To determine if preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) is cost-effective for patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Decision analytic model comparing costs and clinical ...outcomes of two strategies: IVF with and without PGT-A.
Genetics laboratory.
Women ≤ 42 years of age undergoing IVF.
Decision analytic model applied to the above patient population utilizing a combination of actual clinical data and assumptions from the literature regarding the outcomes of IVF with and without PGT-A.
The primary outcome was cumulative IVF-related costs to achieve a live birth or exhaust the embryo cohort from a single oocyte retrieval. The secondary outcomes were time from retrieval to the embryo transfer resulting in live birth or completion of treatment, cumulative live birth rate, failed embryo transfers, and clinical losses.
8,998 patients from 74 IVF centers were included. For patients with greater than one embryo, the cost differential favored the use of PGT-A, ranging from $931–2411 and depending upon number of embryos screened. As expected, the cumulative live birth rate was equivalent for both groups once all embryos were exhausted. However, PGT-A reduced time in treatment by up to four months. In addition, patients undergoing PGT-A experienced fewer failed embryo transfers and clinical miscarriages.
For patients with > 1 embryo, IVF with PGT-A reduces healthcare costs, shortens treatment time, and reduces the risk of failed embryo transfer and clinical miscarriage when compared to IVF alone.
La fecundación in vitro (FIV) con test genético preimplantacional para aneuploidías es coste-efectivo, acorta el tiempo de tratamiento y reduce el riesgo de transferencia embrionaria fallida y aborto clínico en pacientes seleccionadas comparado con FIV solo
Determinar si el test genético preimplantacional para aneuploidías (TGP-A) es coste-efectivo para pacientes que se someten a fecundación in vitro (FIV).
Modelo analítico de decisión comparando costes y resultados clínicos de dos estrategias: FIV con y sin TGP-A.
Laboratorio de genética.
Mujeres ≤ 42 años de edad que se someten a FIV.
Modelo analítico de decisión aplicado a la población de pacientes antedicha utilizando una combinación de datos clínicos reales y suposiciones de la literatura con respecto a los resultados de FIV con y sin TGP-A.
El resultado primario fue el coste acumulado relacionado con FIV para lograr un nacido vivo o agotar la cohorte embrionaria de una única captación ovocitaria. Los resultados secundarios fueron tiempo desde la captación ovocitaria hasta la transferencia embrionaria que resultara en un nacido vivo o terminación del tratamiento, tasa acumulada de nacido vivo, transferencias embrionarias fallidas y pérdidas clínicas.
8998 pacientes de 74 centros de FIV fueron incluídas. Para pacientes con más de un embrión, el diferencial de costes favoreció el uso de TGP-A, desde $931-2411 y dependiendo del número de embriones estudiados. Como se esperaba, la tasa acumulada de nacido vivo fue equivalente en ambos grupos una vez que todos los embriones fueron agotados. Sin embargo, el TGP-A redujo el tiempo en tratamiento hasta cuatro meses. Además, las pacientes sometidas a TGP-A experimentaron menos transferencias embrionarias fallidas y abortos clínicos.
Para pacientes con más de un embrión, FIV con TGP-A reduce los costes sanitarios, acorta el tiempo de tratamiento y reduce el riesgo de transferencia embrionaria fallida y aborto clínico comparado con FIV solo.
Objective To evaluate the association between relative DNA content of the trophectoderm biopsy and pregnancy outcomes. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Academic-affiliated private practice. ...Patient(s) This study included patients undergoing their first single embryo transfer after trophectoderm biopsy and comprehensive chromosome screening (CCS) at a single center between January 2010 and February 2014. Intervention(s) In phase 1 of the study, a standard curve was developed to estimate the relative DNA content of trophectoderm biopsies. Phase 2 of the study examined reproductive outcomes in patients undergoing single embryo transfer after trophectoderm biopsy and CCS. Samples were divided into quartiles according to their relative DNA content, and clinical outcomes were compared. Main Outcome Measure(s) Chemical pregnancy rate, clinical implantation rate, ongoing pregnancy rate, live birth rate. Result(s) The quartile of highest relative DNA content had a significantly lower live birth rate when compared with the other three quartiles (relative risk 0.84, 95% confidence interval 0.75–0.95). There was no difference between the quartiles regarding age, body mass index, ovarian response, or endometrial thickness. Among those patients who had a live birth, there was no difference in hCG levels, gestational age at delivery, or birth weight with respect to biopsy DNA content. Conclusion(s) Trophectoderm biopsies with the highest relative DNA content are associated with lower live birth rates after single embryo transfer. Possible explanations for this phenomenon include diminished accuracy of the euploid diagnosis vs. a mechanical impact of the biopsy. Regardless of the cause, the outcomes emphasize the importance of obtaining appropriately sized trophectoderm biopsies for CCS.
Carotenoids are plant pigments with light filtering and antioxidant properties that deposit in human tissues, including retina and skin. Descriptive characteristics and covariates of carotenoid ...status in macula and skin have been examined in adults; however, similar studies in children are limited. Thus, this study aimed to delineate how factors of age, sex, race, weight status, and dietary carotenoid intake relate to macular and skin carotenoids in children.
Children (7–13 y, N = 375) completed heterochromatic flicker photometry to assess macular pigment optical density (MPOD). Participants underwent anthropometrics to measure weight status (BMI percentile BMI%), and parent/guardian provided demographic information. Subsample data were available for skin carotenoids (N = 181), assessed using reflection spectroscopy, and dietary carotenoids (N = 101) using the Block Food Frequency Questionnaire. Relationships between skin and macular carotenoids were assessed using partial Pearson’s correlations controlling for age, sex, race, and BMI%. Relationships between dietary carotenoids and macular and skin carotenoids were assessed using stepwise linear regression including age, sex, race, and BMI% in the model.
Mean MPOD was 0.56 ± 0.22 and skin carotenoid score was 282 ± 94.6. There was no significant correlation between MPOD and skin carotenoids (r = 0.02, P = 0.76). BMI% was negatively associated with skin (stdβ = −0.42, P < 0.001), but not macular carotenoids (stdβ = −0.04, P = 0.70). Neither MPOD nor skin carotenoids were associated with age, sex, or race (all P > 0.10). MPOD was positively associated with energy-adjusted reported lutein + zeaxanthin intake (stdβ = 0.27, P = 0.01). Skin carotenoids were positively associated with energy-adjusted reported carotenoid intake (stdβ = 0.26, P = 0.01).
The mean MPOD values in children were higher than what has been reported in adult populations. Previous studies in adult samples report an average MPOD of 0.21. Although macular and skin carotenoids were not related, they were associated with dietary carotenoids relevant to the respective tissues; however, skin carotenoids may be more susceptible negative influence from higher weight status.
This is a retrospective cohort study comparing blastocyst transfer outcomes following intracytoplasmic sperm injection utilizing epididymal versus testicular sperm for men with obstructive ...azoospermia. All cases at a single center between 2012 and 2016 were included. Operative approach was selected at the surgeon's discretion and included microepididymal sperm aspiration or testicular sperm extraction. Blastocyst culture was exclusively utilized prior to transfer. The primary outcome was live birth rate. Secondary outcomes included fertilization rate, blastulation rate, euploidy rate, and implantation rate. A mixed effects model was performed. Seventy-six microepididymal sperm aspiration cases and 93 testicular sperm extraction cases were analyzed. The live birth rate was equivalent (48.6% vs 50.5%, P = 0.77). However, on mixed effects model, epididymal sperm resulted in a greater likelihood of fertilization (adjusted OR: 1.37, 95% CI: 1.05-1.81, P = 0.02) and produced a higher blastulation rate (adjusted OR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.1-1.85, P = 0.01). As a result, the epididymal sperm group had more supernumerary blastocysts available (4.3 vs 3, P < 0.05). The euploidy rate was no different. Pregnancy rates were no different through the first transfer cycle. However, intracytoplasmic sperm injection following microepididymal sperm aspiration resulted in a greater number of usable blastocysts per patient. Thus, the true benefit of epididymal sperm may only be demonstrated via a comparison of cumulative pregnancy rates after multiple transfers from one cohort.
Purpose
To describe diagnostic results following re-biopsy of blastocysts with inconclusive results on preimplantation genetic screening for aneuploidy (PGT-A) and to evaluate the reproductive ...potential of re-biopsied blastocysts.
Methods
This retrospective cohort study included all trophectoderm biopsies submitted for PGT-A by a large in vitro fertilization center to a single genetics laboratory from June 2016 to October 2018. PGT-A was performed using next-generation sequencing (NGS). No-result blastocysts that underwent re-biopsy were subsequently classified as euploid, aneuploid, mosaic/segmental, or no-result. Ongoing pregnancy and clinical loss rates were assessed following transfer of re-biopsied blastocysts. Logistic regressions were conducted to account for age and blastocyst morphology.
Results
Of the trophectoderm biopsies submitted for PGT-A, 635/25,199 (2.5%) were categorized as no-result. Those that underwent re-biopsy (
n
= 250) had a 95.2% diagnostic rate with 140 (56.0%) receiving euploid diagnoses. Thirty-six re-biopsied blastocysts deemed euploid were subsequently transferred, resulting in 18 (50.0%) ongoing pregnancies and 5 (13.9%) clinical losses. After adjusting for age and blastocyst morphology, there remained a lower ongoing pregnancy rate and a trend towards higher clinical loss rate following transfer of a re-biopsied blastocyst. When compared to blastocysts that underwent the same number of vitrification-warming cycles but only one biopsy, there were no differences in outcomes.
Conclusions
Failure to obtain an analytical result does not change the probability that a given blastocyst is euploid. Pregnancy outcomes following transfer of re-biopsied blastocysts are favorable, but further data must be accrued for an adequately powered comparison with outcomes after transfer of blastocysts biopsied once.
Is T-shaped uterine cavity morphology associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes after transfer of a single thawed euploid blastocyst?
In this secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study, 648 ...patients with three-dimensional ultrasound (3D-US) data obtained on the day before embryo transfer were categorized into three groups according to uterine cavity morphology: normal (n = 472), intermediate (n = 166) and T-shaped (n = 10). Quantitative uterine cavity dimensions were used to evaluate uterine cavity morphology. Pregnancy outcomes, including live birth, clinical miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy, were compared among the groups.
The prevalence of a T-shaped uterus in this cohort was 1.5%. Uterine cavity morphology was strongly associated with the ratio of interostial distance and isthmic diameter (P < 0.01). Live birth rates were 66.5% for normal, 65.7% for intermediate and 40.0% for T-shaped cavity morphology. Women with a T-shaped uterus had an increased risk of clinical miscarriage (40.0% versus 7.0% for normal and 9.0% for intermediate cavity morphology, P < 0.01) and ectopic pregnancy (10.0% versus 1.1% for normal and 1.9% for intermediate cavity morphology, P = 0.05). When evaluating interostial distance and isthmic diameter ratio to determine pregnancy outcomes, a cut-off value of 2 was noted to have weak predictive value for live birth, but not clinical miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy.
T-shaped uterine cavity morphology is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes after transfer of a single thawed euploid blastocyst. Given the low prevalence of this condition, quantifying the magnitude of risk will require a larger cohort of patients.
Lutein and zeaxanthin (L + Z) are carotenoids that accumulate in neural tissue and potentially confer benefits to cognition. Whereas cross-sectional studies have revealed positive associations ...between macular carotenoids (MC) and cognition, no studies have investigated whether L + Z supplementation impacts MC and cognition in childhood. Accordingly, the Integrated Childhood Ocular Nutrition Study aims to investigate the impact of L + Z supplementation over 9-months on academic abilities, attentional control, memory, and MC among preadolescent children. Children 8–10 years (N = 288) will enroll in a 9-month double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial. The study is registered and approved as a clinical trial on the U.S. National Library of Medicine http://ClinicalTrials.gov registry (NCT05177679). Participants will be randomized into an active (10 mg lutein+2 mg zeaxanthin) or waitlist placebo-controlled group. Primary outcomes include hippocampal-dependent memory, attentional inhibition, and academic achievement using a spatial reconstruction task, an Eriksen flanker task, and the Kaufman Test of Academic and Educational Achievement 3rd edition, respectively. Secondary outcomes include event-related brain potentials of attentional resource allocation and information processing speed (i.e., P3/P300 amplitude and latency) recorded during the flanker task. Macular pigment optical density (MPOD) will be assessed using heterochromatic flicker photometry. Cognitive assessments will be completed prior to and after completion of the supplementation period. MPOD will be quantified prior to, at the mid-point of (4–5 months), and after (9 months) the supplementation period. It is hypothesized that L + Z supplementation will improve cognition and academic achievement. Further, benefits for cognition and achievement are anticipated to be mediated by increases in MC among treatment group participants.
To study the prevalence of celiac disease in the infertile population undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) and assess outcomes.
Prospective cohort study.
A single infertility center from January ...2016 to March 2017.
Women 18–45 years of age participating in IVF.
Patients had serum tissue transglutaminase (tTG) and endomysial (EMA) IgA testing to screen for celiac disease and completed a 10-question “yes or no” survey to assess their medical history, previous testing, dietary habits, and pertinent symptoms.
IVF cycle outcomes were compared between seronegative and seropositive patients.
Of 1,000 patients enrolled, 995 completed serologic screening and 968 underwent oocyte retrieval. Eighteen patients screened positive for both tTG and EMA (1.8%) and 10 additional patients (1.0%) screened positive for one of the two antibodies. The number of mature oocytes retrieved, fertilization rates, and blastulation rates were equivalent between seronegative and seropositive patients. There were 987 patients who completed the questionnaire (98.7%), and 84 reported being gluten free (8.5%). Those who reported being gluten free were no more likely to be antibody positive than the general population. Furthermore, a low-gluten diet was not associated with markers of ovarian reserve, oocytes retrieved, fertilization, blastulation, sustained implantation and pregnancy loss rates.
The prevalence of seropositive celiac disease was consistent with that of the general population (2.8%). Patients who were seropositive for celiac disease–related antibodies had outcomes equivalent to seronegative patients, and patients with a gluten-free diet did not have improved outcomes.
La enfermedad celíaca no es más prevalente en las pacientes que realizan fertilización in vitro y no afecta los resultados reproductivos con o sin tratamiento: Un amplio estudio de cohorte
Estudiar la prevalencia de la enfermedad celíaca en la población infértil que realiza fertilización in vitro (FIV) y evaluar los resultados.
Estudio prospectivo de cohorte.
Un único centro de infertilidad desde enero de 2016 hasta marzo de 2017.
Mujeres de 18-45 años que realizan FIV.
A las pacientes se les realizó estudio de la transglutaminasa sérica (tTG) y de anticuerpos IgA antiendomisio (EMA) para cribado de enfermedad celíaca, y se les pidió completar un cuestionario de 10 preguntas con respuestas “Sí o No” para evaluar su historia médica, exámenes previos, hábitos nutricionales y síntomas pertinentes.
Se compararon los resultados de los ciclos FIV de pacientes seronegativas y seropositivas.
De 1000 pacientes incluidas, 995 completaron el estudio serológico, y en 968 se llegó a realizar aspiración de ovocitos. Dieciocho pacientes resultaron positivas tanto para tTG como para EMA (1,8%), y 10 pacientes adicionales fueron positivas para uno de los dos anticuerpos. El número de ovocitos maduros obtenidos, y las tasas de fecundación y blastulación fueron equivalentes entre las pacientes seronegativas y seropositivas. 987 pacientes completaron el cuestionario (98,7%), y 84 reportaron ser libres de gluten (8,5%). Aquellas que informaron ser libres de gluten no tuvieron más probabilidades de ser positivas para anticuerpos que la población general. Además, una dieta baja en gluten no se asoció con marcadores de reserva ovárica, ovocitos obtenidos, ni con las tasas de fecundación, blastulación, implantación sostenida y aborto.
La prevalencia de enfermedad celíaca seropositiva fue consistente con la de la población general (2,8%). Las pacientes que resultaron seropositivas para anticuerpos relacionados con la enfermedad celíaca tuvieron resultados equivalentes a los de las pacientes seronegativas, y las pacientes con dieta libre de gluten no tuvieron mejores resultados.
Abstract Objective Lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI) is a poor prognostic indicator in uterine cancer, primarily due to its association with lymph node metastases. We sought to determine if LVSI ...provides any prognostic information for uterine cancer subjects in the absence of nodal disease. Methods A retrospective review was performed using a database of women treated for uterine cancer at MUSC from 2005 to 2012. Subjects with negative nodes after complete staging were identified. Multiple regression modeling was used to adjust for demographic and histopathologic covariates. The C-index was calculated for models of survival that included LVSI and those that did not. Competing risks analysis was conducted to examine factors associated with time to recurrence. Results Two hundred and five subjects were completely staged and had negative nodes, 24 with LVSI and 181 without. Factors significantly associated with survival included age, race, stage, grade, histology, and LVSI. Regression models for recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) had similar C-indices regardless of whether LVSI was included. Competing risks analysis confirmed no significant difference in time to recurrence for subjects with LVSI compared to those without, after adjusting for other prognostic factors ( P = 0.53). Conclusions LVSI is associated with shorter recurrence-free and overall survival in uterine cancer subjects with negative lymph nodes. However, after adjusting for other prognostic factors, LVSI status does not provide additional prognostic information. This finding suggests that recurrence-free and overall survival for uterine cancer patients with negative lymph nodes can be estimated without factoring in LVSI.