TOTAL RENIN AFTER GONADOTROPIN STIMULATION IN POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN DISEASE

Objective: To examine the influence of polycystic ovarian disease (PCO D) on the levels of total renin in plasma and follicular fluid (FF) af ter stimulation with hMG. Design: Comparative study of the plasma and FF concentrations of total renin in women with and without PCOD after stimulation with hMG. Setting: In vitro fertilization-embryo transfer program at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the University Central Hospital of Turku, Finland. Patients: Thirty-six women underg oing IVF-ET for infertility with (n = 10) or without (n = 26) ultrason ographically diagnosed PCOD. Of the latter group, 15 women had tubal i nfertility, and the rest suffered from an anovulatory infertility and reacted with PCO-like ovarian response to stimulation. Main Outcome Me asures: The concentrations of total renin in plasma and FF, serum E(2) , and protein in FF. Results: The concentrations of plasma total renin after the gonadotropin stimulation were significantly higher in the P COD and PCO-like groups when compared with the tubal group. The concen tration of total renin in FF and the ratio of total renin per protein in FF were higher in the PCOD and PCO-like groups than in the tubal gr oup, but the differences did not reach statistical significance. Posit ive correlations were found between the plasma total renin and serum E (2) concentrations in the PCO-like and in the tubal group and between plasma total renin concentrations and the number of mature follicles i n all groups. Follicular fluid total renin did not correlate with FF p rotein in any group. All findings were independent of the total hMG do sage used and the body mass index of the patients. Conclusions: In the present study the concentrations of total renin in plasma were enhanc ed markedly after gonadotropin stimulation in women with PCOD compared with women having tubal infertility. The pattern of the hormonal secr etions revealed a group of infertile patients reacting biochemically l ike women with PCOD.