Factors influencing the ovarian response in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)

Background: Ovarian response to gonadotropin stimulation can predict the success rate of Assisted Reproductive Technology. The purpose of this study was not only to determine the ovarian response rate in patients on whom intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) did not successfully work but also to assess the influence of factors on ovarian response. Methods: In a retrospective study, the medical records of 220 women undergoing their first cycle of ICSI from March 2012 to October 2016 were thoroughly examined. Special attention was paid to ovarian response with regards to age, body mass index, the history of menstrual cycle, the type of infertility, the duration of infertility, and the cause of infertility with respect to measures of women’s hormones. The ovarian response expressing the number of mature MII oocytes after oocyte retrieval was regarded as “poor response” representing a yield of 1–4 oocytes, and “appropriate response” representing a yield of 5 or more oocytes. Results: Out of 220 infertile women, 45 subjects (20.5%) had poor response, 175 subjects (79.5%) had appropriate response to ovulation stimulation with gonadotropin. The results of indicated that lower female age (p=0.005) and lower female FSH (p=0.006) were consistent with appropriate ovarian response. After adjusting the variables, the age (age <30 years) (OR= 2.45, 95% CI= 1.19-5.07) and the female FSH (FSH <30 years) (OR= 2.59, 95% CI= 1.16-5.71) were found to be associated with an appropriate ovarian response. Conclusion: It can be concluded that entering the first cycle of ICSI with FSH test and considering the age of women seem to be acceptable strategies

Effect of alcohol on Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) blood levels: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) is a vital protein involved in neuronal development, survival, and plasticity. Alcohol consumption has been implicated in various neurocognitive deficits and neurodegenerative disorders. However, the impact of alcohol on BDNF blood levels remains unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effect of alcohol consumption on BDNF blood levels. A comprehensive search of electronic databases was conducted to identify relevant studies. Eligible studies were selected based on predefined inclusion criteria. Data extraction was performed, and methodological quality was assessed using appropriate tools. A meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the overall effect size of alcohol consumption on BDNF levels. A total of 25 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis. Alcohol use and BDNF blood levels were significantly correlated, according to the meta-analysis (p = 0.008). Overall, it was discovered that drinking alcohol significantly decreased BDNF levels (SMD: − 0.39; 95% CI: − 0.68 to − 0.10; I2: 93%). There was a non-significant trend suggesting that alcohol withdrawal might increase BDNF levels, with an SMD of 0.26 (95% CI: − 0.09 to 0.62; I2: 86%; p = 0.14). Subgroup analysis based on the source of BDNF demonstrated significant differences between the subgroups (p = 0.0008). No significant publication bias was observed. This study showed that alcohol consumption is associated with a significant decrease in BDNF blood levels. The findings suggest a negative impact of alcohol on BDNF levels regardless of alcohol dosage. Further studies are needed to strengthen the evidence and elucidate the underlying mechanisms