Abstract

EFFECT OF AGE AND DURATION OF INFERTILITY ON LEVELS OF INTERLEUKIN-6 AND CORRELATION TO PREGNANCY RATE FOR WOMEN UNDERGOING ICSI PROGRAM

Huda Malik Muhammed*, Muhammad-Baqir M-R. Fakhrildin and Ula Muhammed Alkawaz

Abstract

Background: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is one of the major proinflammatory cytokine, primarily produced by macrophages and have important role in the chronic inflammatory response. IL-6 is found to be expressed within the human granulosa cells of the Graafian follicle, also in the corpus luteum and ovarian theca cells. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder and chronic low grade inflammation is the important feature in PCOS, that has been suggested to plays an important role in the normal reproductive processes. As a result several inflammatory markers, such as interleukin-6, are increased in PCOS patients compared with the normal women. Objective: To study the effect of age and duration of infertility on levels of interleukin-6 in PCOS patients undergoing ICSI. Subjects, Materials, and Methods. This prospective study was undertaken in the High Institute of Infertility diagnosis and*Assisted Reproductive Technologies / Al-Nahrain University / Baghdad/Iraq*, during the period from November 2015 to May 2017. A total of sixty infertile patients were recruited (thirty one infertile women with PCOS and non PCOS treated with long agonist protocol and twenty nine women with PCOS and non PCOS treated with antagonist protocol for ICSI technique, all undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation for ICSI technique. Serum and follicular fluid levels of IL-6 were measured at the day of oocyte retrieval by Enzyme linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA). Comparison in serum and follicular fluid IL-6 levels between the groups and their correlation to pregnancy rate was done to all cases. Results: No significant association was found between age of infertile women and serum or follicular fluid IL-6 levels (P˃0.05). Effect of duration of infertility on interleukin levels, according to this study demonstrated no significant differences (P˃0.05) in the serum and follicular fluid of IL-6 levels with duration of infertility. Regarding the effect of types of ovulation induction protocols on the interleukin levels, there was no significant difference. In addition no significant association was noticed in the levels of interleukin and pregnancy outcome (P˃0.05). Conclusion: Serum and follicular fluid levels of IL-6 showed no significant association with increase age. In addition, there was neither significant correlation between level of IL-6 and duration of infertility nor with the types of ovulation induction protocols. At the same time, there was no significant correlation between level of IL-6 and pregnancy rate.

Keywords: ICSI, IL-6, age, infertility, pregnancy.