Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist-induced ovarian hyperstimulation: low-dose side effects in women and monkeys. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • OBJECTIVE: To determine whether low (subtherapeutic) doses of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRH-a) can cause ovarian hyperstimulation. DESIGN: The study is in two parts: a preliminary clinical trial of women and a follow-up study in laboratory primates. SETTING: Normal human volunteers were studied in an academic research environment; primates were in a conventional laboratory setting. PATIENTS, PARTICIPANTS: Human volunteers were selected on the basis of apparent normal health. The monkeys were believed to be of normal reproductive status. INTERVENTIONS: Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists were administered at subtherapeutic doses. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: After observing ovarian hyperstimulation in two of five women receiving low doses of GnRH-a, a study was specifically designed to test the hypothesis that at low (subtherapeutic) doses of GnRH-a the "flare-effect" can be sustained without achieving down regulation. RESULTS: The data in women and monkeys suggest that a highly individualized response to low GnRH-a doses can be manifested as ovarian hyperstimulation. CONCLUSION: Four points of interpretation are offered: (1) that subtherapeutic doses of GnRH-a can cause ovarian hyperstimulation and related sequelae; (2) this may be a unique observation in that, typically, lower doses of medications have a lower incidence of negative side effects; (3) the findings suggest that GnRH-a prescribed in self-administration regimens may be more prone to such problems in noncompliant patients; and (4) the hyperstimulation response of the ovaries to low GnRH-a doses may indicate a new approach to controlled ovulation induction, although wide individualism was found.

publication date

  • June 1, 1991

Research

keywords

  • Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone
  • Ovary
  • Pituitary Gland
  • Triptorelin Pamoate

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 0025897615

PubMed ID

  • 1828042

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 55

issue

  • 6