PREDICTING EMPTY FOLLICLE SYNDROME

Objective: To determine a simple predictive test for empty follicle sy ndrome before oocyte retrieval. Design: Retrospective correlation anal ysis. Setting: Patients attending Nottingham University Research and T reatment Unit, a tertiary, university-based assisted reproductive tech nologies (ART) program between April 1, 1994 and March 31, 1995. Patie nt(s): Six women in whom no oocytes were retrieved after superovulatio n for ART (empty follicle syndrome) were compared with 11 women with s uccessful oocyte retrieval. Intervention(s): Subcutaneous buserelin ac etate plus IM hMG and hCG were used for superovulation. Oocyte retriev al was transvaginal and ultrasound guided. Main Outcome Measure(s): Ul trasound measurement of follicular growth and serum E(2) levels during superovulation. Serum beta-hCG levels before and 36 hours after hCG a dministration IM. Number of oocytes retrieved. Result(s): Before hCG a dministration, beta-hCG: was not detectable in the serum. The serum be ta-hCG 36 hours after hCG was 209 +/- 16.7 mIU/mL (conversion factor t o SI units, 1.0; mean +/- SEM, range 106 to 290 mIU/mL) in women with successful oocyte retrieval and 4 +/- 1.8 mIU/mL (range 0 to 9 mIU/mL) in empty follicle syndrome. This difference was significant. Conclusi on(s): Empty follicle syndrome is associated with very low bioavailabi lity of beta-hCG and can be predicted by measuring serum beta-hCG leve l 36 hours after IM hCG administration.