Pre-treatment with cyproterone acetate plus ethinylestradiol enhances ovarian response in women with polycystic ovary syndrome
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-1770.ijrcog20232855Keywords:
Anti-mullerian hormone, Cyproterone acetate plus ethinyl estradiol, Letrozole, Polycystic ovary syndromeAbstract
Background: Anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) and androgen levels are higher in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) than norm-ovulatory women. Cyproterone acetate plus ethinylestradiol (CPA+EE) reduces AMH and free androgen level. The aim of the study was to determine if the pretreatment with CPA+EE before ovulation induction with letrozole improves ovarian response in PCOS women.
Methods: The study comprised of 100 infertile PCOS women with serum AMH>5 ng/ml. The study participants were randomly allocated into women given CPA+EE pretreatment cyclically for 3 months before ovulation induction with letrozole 5 mg from day 2-6 of a menstrual cycle, and women given only letrozole from day 2-6 without any pretreatment. Follicular growth was monitored by transvaginal sonography on day 12. Women who attained maximum follicular size (18-25 mm) were given 5000 IU HCG injection. Ovulation was confirmed by serum progesterone assay on day 21-23 and pregnancy was confirmed by serum β-hCG level or by pregnancy test kit.
Results: Ovulation rate was higher (82.4%) in pre treatment group compared in letrozole only group to (43.0%) with relative risk 1.92. Pregnancy rate was higher in (23.5%) in pre treatment group than letrozole only (8.8%) with relative risk 2.68.
Conclusions: Pretreatment with CPA+EE before ovulation induction with letrozole has better outcome in terms of ovulation and pregnancy than letrozole alone in PCOS women with high serum AMH.
References
Norman RJ, Dewailly D, Legro, RS, Hickey TE. Polycystic ovary syndrome. Lancet. 2007;370:1828-31.
Orio F, Palomba S. Endocrinology: New guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of PCOS. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2014;10:130-2.
Dumont A, Robin G, Catteau-Jonard S, Dewailly D. Role of Anti-Müllerian Hormone in path physiology, diagnosis and treatment of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: a review. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2015;13:137.
Pierre A, Peigne M, Grynberg M, Arouche N, Taieb J, Hesters L, et al. Loss of LH-induced down-regulation of anti-Mullerian hormone receptor expression may contribute to anovulation in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Hum Reprod. 2013;28(3):762-9.
Tsilchorozidou T, Overton C, Conway GS. The pathophysiology of polycystic ovary syndrome. Clin Endocrinol. 2004;60(1):1-17.
Teede HJ, Misso ML, Costello MF, Dokras A, Laven J, Moran L, et al. Recommendations from the international evidence-based guideline for the assessment and management of polycystic ovary syndrome. Hum Reprod. 2018;33(9):1602-18.
International evidence-based guideline for the assessment and management of polycystic ovary syndrome. ESRHE/ASRM guidelines. 2018;106.
Holzer H, Casper R, Tulandi T. A new era in ovulation induction. Fertil Steril. 2006;85(2):277-84.
Dewailly D, Andersen CY, Balen A, Broekmans F, Dilaver N, Fanchin R, et al. The physiology and clinical utility of anti-mullerian hormone in women. Hum Reprod. 2014;20:370-85.
Mumford SL, Legro RS, Diamond MP, Coutifaris C, Steiner AZ, Schlaff WD, et al. Baseline AMH level associated with ovulation following ovulation induction in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2016;101(9):3288-96.
Marca AL, Broekmans FJ, Volpe A, Fauser BC, Macklon NS. Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH): what do we still need to know? Hum Reprod. 2009;24(9):2264-75.
Piouka A, Farmakiotis D, Katsikis I, Macut D, Gerou S, Panidis D. Anti-mullerian hormone levels reflect severity of PCOS but are negatively influenced by obesity: relationship with increased luteinizing hormone levels. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2009;296:E238-43.
Thomson RL, Buckley JD, Moran LJ, Noakes M, Clifton PM, Norman RJ. The effect of weight loss on anti-mullerian hormone levels in overweight and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome and reproductive impairment. Hum Reprod. 2009;24:1976-81.
Homburg R, Ray A, Bhide P, Gudi A, Shah A, Timms P, et al. The relationship of serum anti-Mullerian hormone with polycystic ovarian morphology and polycystic ovary syndrome: a prospective cohort study. Hum Reprod. 2013;28:1077-83.
Mahran A, Abdelmeged A, El-Adawy AR, Eissa MK, Shaw RW, Amer SA. The predictive value of circulating anti-mullerian hormone in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome receiving clomiphene citrate: a prospective observational study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2013;98(10):4170-5.
Lanham MSM, Prochaska EC, Smith Y. Elevated anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) level decrease odds of response to ovulation induction with letrozole or clomiphene citrate. ASRM Abstracts. 2014;102(3):e22.
Munira S, Banu J, Ishrat S, Shume MM, Uddin MJ, Sultana S. Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) as a predictor of ovarian response to clomiphene citrate in polycystic ovarian syndrome. Fertility Reprod. 2021;3(3):101-7.
Amer SA, Mahran A, Abdelmaged A, El-Adawy AR, Eissa MK, Shaw RW. The influence of circulating anti-Mullerian hormone on ovarian responsiveness to ovulation induction with gonadotropins in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome: a pilot study. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2013;11:115.
Amer SA, Li TC, Ledger WL. The value of measuring anti-Mullerian hormone in women with anovulatory polycystic ovary syndrome undergoing laparoscopic ovarian diathermy. Hum Reprod. 2009;24(11):2760-6.
Bentzen JG, Forman JL, Pinborg A, Lidegaard Ø, Larsen EC, Friis-Hansen L, et al. Ovarian reserve parameters: a comparison between users and non-uses of hormonal contraception. Reprod Biomed Online. 2012;25:612-9.
Kristensen SL, Ramlau-Hansen CH, Andersen CY, Ernst E, Olsen SF, Bonde JP, et al. The association between circulating levels of anti-mullerian and follicle number, androgen and menstrual cycle characteristics in young women. Fertil Steril. 2012;97:779-85.
Kallio S, Puurunen J, Ruokonen A, Vaskivuo T, Piltonen T, Tapanainen JS. Anti-Mullerian hormone levels decrease in women using combined contraception independently of administration route. Fertil Steril. 2013;99:1305-10.
Pellat L, Hanna L, Brincat M, Galea R, Brain H, Whitehead S, et al. Granulosa cell production of anti-mullerian hormone is increased in polycystic ovaries. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2007;92:240-5.
Catteau-Jonard S, Jamin SP, Leclerc A, Gonzales J, Dewailly D, di Clemente N. Anti-mullerian hormone, its receptor, FSH receptor and androgen receptor genes are overexpressed by granulosa cells from stimulated follicles in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2008;93:4456-61.
Van den Berg MH, van Dulmen-den Broeder E, Overbeek A, Twisk JWR, Schats R, Van Leeuwen FE, et al. Comparison of ovarian function markers in users of oral contraceptive during the hormone-free interval and subsequent natural early follicular phases. Hum Reprod. 2010;25:1520-7.
Ruan X, Kubba A, Aguilar A, Mueck AO. Use of cyproterone acetate/ethinylestradiol in polycystic ovary syndrome: rationale and practical aspects. Eur J Contracept Reprod Health Care. 2017;22(3):183-90.
Branigan EF, Estes MA. A randomized clinical trial of treatment of clomiphene citrate–resistant anovulation with the use of oral contraceptive pill suppression and repeat clomiphene citrate treatment. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2003;188:1424-30.
Banu J, Ishrat S, Deeba F, Anowary S, Alamgir CF, Darmini M. Impact of cyproterone acetate and ethinylestradiol on clomiphene resistant PCOS patient with high serum AMH level. J Shaheed Suhrawardy Med Coll. 2021;12(1):38-44.
Panidis D, Georgopoulos NA, Piouka A, Katsikis I, Saltamavros AD, Decavalas G, et al. The impact of oral contraceptives and metformin on anti-Müllerian hormone serum levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome and biochemical hyperandro-genemia. Gynecol Endocrinol. 2011;27(8):587-92.
Somunkiran A, Yavuz T, Yucel O, Ozdemir I. Anti-Müllerian hormone levels during hormonal contraception in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2007;134(2):196-201.
Feng W, Jia YY, Zhang DY, Shi HR. Management of polycystic ovarian syndrome with diane-35 or diane-35 plus metformin. Gynecol Endocrinol. 2016;32(2):147-50.
Jing Z, Liang-Zhi X, Tai-Xiang W, Ying T, Yu-Jian J. The effects of diane-35 and metformin in treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome: an updated systematic review. Gynecol Endocrinol. 2008;24(10):590-600.
Bhattacharya SM, Jha A. Comparative study of the therapeutic effects of oral contraceptive pills containing desogestrel, cyproterone acetate, and drospirenone in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome. Fertil Steril. 2012;98(4):1053-9.
Salama M, Hamza H. Drospirenone containing combined oral contraceptive premedication before letrozole ovulation induction in clomiphene resistant PCOS, is it worth the wait? Gynecol Reprod Health. 2019;3(2):1-6.