Serum oxidizability and antioxidant status in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization

Objective: To evaluate the serum oxidizability and antioxidant status in women undergoing an in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle and to assess the possible relationship of the oxidizability indexes with the pregnancy rate. Design: Prospective, longitudinal study. Setting: Public university and public university hospital. Patient(s): Systematically recruited cohort of 125 women undergoing either IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Intervention(s): Serum samples were collected before the beginning of the use of gonadotropins (basal) and the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration (final) during an IVF cycle. Main Outcome Measure(s): The Cu2+-induced serum oxidation in terms of the oxidation rate in the lag (V-lag) and propagation (V-max) phases and the time at which the oxidation rate is maximal (t(max)), and measurements of serum total antioxidant activity (TAA), tocopherol, hydrophilic antioxidants, malondialdehyde, and nitric oxide. Result(s): Albumin, urate, bilirubin, alpha-tocopherol and gamma-tocopherol, TAA, and tmax statistically significantly decreased after the IVF cycle. Conception cycles were associated with a serum more prone to oxidation compared with nonconception cycles. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the difference (final-basal) of the oxidation index Vlag (OR 1.394) and the body mass index (OR 0.785) were independent predictors of pregnancy. Conclusion(s): Treatment with IVF induces the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which is reflected in a serum less protected against oxidation. The results also suggest a role for ROS in the occurrence of conception in IVF. (Fertil Steril (R) 2010;94:1279-86. (C) 2010 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.)