Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To explore the risk factors affecting the recurrence of endometrial polyps (EPs) after hysteroscopic diagnosis and treatment of EPs following in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) failure by multivariate analysis. METHODS: The clinical data of 369 patients with EPs hysteroscopically treated in our department due to IVF-ET failure from January 2017 to January 2020 were retrospectively analyzed, including the number and size of polyps, postoperative treatment, endometriosis (EM), hydrosalpinx (HSP), and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and the effects of these factors on EP recurrence were observed. RESULTS: Of the patients enrolled, 184 cases (49.9%) were treated by curettage, and 185 cases (50.1%) by electrotomy. A total of 72 cases (19.5%) of postoperative recurrence were determined, including 34 cases (9.2%) without postoperative medication, 31 cases (8.4%) with one month of postoperative Didroxyprogesterone (DG) administration, and 7 cases (1.9%) with three months of postoperative DG administration. Surgical methods, 3 months of postoperative medication, PCOS, and polyp number and size significantly influence the recurrence of EPs, which were all the influencing factors of polyp recurrence. After controlling for other factors, the risk of EP recurrence after electrotomy was found to be lower than that after curettage, with an odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval (CI)) of 0.354 (0.163-0.767); the risk of EP recurrence after 3 months of postoperative medication was lower than that without postoperative medication, with an OR (95% CI) of 0.024 (0.005-0.104); the risk of EP recurrence in patients with PCOS was higher than that without PCOS, and the OR (95% CI) was 2.505 (1.113-5.639); patients with multiple polyps (≥2) were at an increased risk of recurrence than those with a single polyp, with an OR (95% CI) of 66.552 (14.711-301.084); patients with polyp diameter ≥ 2 cm had a higher risk of recurrence than those with polyp diameter < 2 cm, and the OR (95% CI) was 1084.76 (148.743-7910.999). CONCLUSIONS: PCOS patients are at an elevated risk of EP recurrence than non-PCOS patients. In patients with multiple polyps, those with a diameter ≥ 2 cm have an increased risk of polyp recurrence compared with those with polyp diameter < 2 cm; electrotomy is associated with a lower recurrence risk of EPs than curettage. The risk of EP recurrence in patients treated with postoperative progesterone for 3 months is lower than that of patients without postoperative medication.