OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether the basal serum luteinizing hormone (LH) levels in the presence of normal serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) are useful as a prognostic indicator of ovarian response to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH). METHODS: From January 1997 to January 1999, 91 infertile women with tubal factor who had undergone in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) were enrolled in the present study. COH was performed using long protocol of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist. All patients included in this study had blood samples drawn on cycle day 2 or 3 prior to COH for measurement of basal FSH and LH. Women who had other infertility factors or high basal FSH levels (> or = 8.5 mIU/ml) were excluded from this study. The results of COH and IVF-ET were compared between two groups according to the level of basal LH (low LH group [< 3mIU/ml] vs. control group [> or = 3mIU/ml]). RESULTS: Patient's characteristics were comparable in both groups except basal LH level. The number of ampules and duration of exogenous gonadotropins required were significantly higher in the low LH group than those in the control group (p<0.001; p<0.005, respectively). The number of follicles > or = 14mm diameter on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) injection was significantly less in the low LH group than that in the control group (p<0.001). The serum estradiol level on the day of hCG injection was also significantly lower in the low LH group, with 1115.5 +/- 380.9 pg/ml compared with 1340.6 +/- 403.0 pg/ml in the control group (p<0.005). There were significantly lower numbers in oocytes retrieved, oocytes fertilized and embryos frozen in the low LH group than those in the control group (< 0.001; < 0.001; <0.005, respectively). However, there was no difference in the fertilization rate between the two groups. The clinical pregnancy rate per cycle seemed to be lower in the low LH group, but the difference did not achieve significance (26.2% vs 39.7%). There were no differences in the miscarriage rate and multiple pregnancy rate between the two groups. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that the low basal LH levels ( < 3 mIU/ml) could be predictive of low ovarian response to COH and poor IVF results.
Abortion, Spontaneous ; Chorionic Gonadotropin ; Embryo Transfer ; Embryonic Structures ; Estradiol ; Female ; Fertilization ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Gonadotropins ; Humans ; Infertility ; Lutein* ; Luteinizing Hormone* ; Oocytes ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Pregnancy, Multiple

PURPOSE: Pulmonary function test (PFT) plays a key role in the diagnosis and management of asthma in adolescents. But, it is not clear whether adolescents with asthma have significantly reduced lung function when compared with adolescents without asthma. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of atopy and allergic diseases on pulmonary function and bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) in Korean adolescents. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was conducted on 647 middle school students (male, 264; female, 383) from Seoul city to determine the prevalence of symptoms and diagnosed allergic diseases. We also performed the PFT, methacholine challenge test, skin prick tests and serum total immunoglobulin E. Current atopic dermatitis was diagnosed by doctor's medical examination. RESULTS: Female showed higher values of forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) and higher numbers of BHR (PC20 less than 25 mg/dL) compared to male (P<0.01). BHR was more common in atopy group (P<0.01), but PFT was not significant difference between atopy and nonatopy. Mean values for all spirometric parameters for asthmatic adolescents were in the normal range. Adolescents with asthma symptoms had slightly lower FEV1/FVC and forced expiratory flow 25%-75% than that of adolescents with no history of wheeze ever, asthma diagnosis and current asthma, but there was no statistically significance. CONCLUSION: The majority of adolescents recruited from the general population who reported having asthma symptoms or other allergic diseases had normal lung function. Sex, atopy, and current atopic dermatitis may affect BHR in Korean adolescents.
Adolescent* ; Asthma ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulins ; Lung ; Male ; Methacholine Chloride ; Prevalence ; Reference Values ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Seoul ; Sinusitis ; Skin Tests ; Vital Capacity ; Surveys and Questionnaires