Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation between soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products (sRAGE) level in the follicular fluid and ovarian responsiveness in non-PCOS patients undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation. METHODS: Ninety non-PCOS patients underwent IVF/ICSI using a short-acting long protocol for ovarian stimulation with a GnRH agonist. For each patient, the level of sRAGE in the follicular fluid was measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the data including the clinical baseline state, hormone level, number of oocytes obtained and the fertilization rate were collected. RESULTS: Follicular fluid sRAGE level showed significant negative correlations with basal FSH level (P=0.0036) and Gn dose (P < 0.0001) and positive correlations with AFC (P < 0.0001), number of oocytes obtained (P < 0.0001), and the fertilization rate (P=0.0047). Follicular fluid sRAGE level was positively correlated with the number of oocytes obtained, and was significantly higher in cases with oocytes obtained above the target number (> 15) than in cases with oocytes obtained within the range of the target numbers (7-15) and below the target number (< 7) (P < 0.0001 and P=0.0012, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Follicular fluid sRAGE level can reflect ovarian reserve function in non-PCOS patients, the number of oocytes obtained and the fertilization rate, and can thus predict ovarian responsiveness during controlled hyperstimulation in nonPCOS patients.