The effects of different gonadotropin releasing hormone analogues in IVF cycles

Objective: To compare Triptorelin, Leuprolide acetate and Nafarelin sodium in women undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation for in vitro fertilization cycles.
Settings: Zeynep Kamil Women and Children's Hospital Reproductive Endocrinology - Infertility - IVFCenter.
Material and Methods: Sixty patients were haphazardly distributed for each GnRH-a group. GnRH-a was administrated, starting on the 21st day of menstrual cycles for the long protocol: Triptorelin (Decapeptyl, 0.1 mg) as 0.1 mg/day SC, leuprolide (Lucrine, 5 mg flacon) as 0.5 mg/day SC and nafarelin (Synarel, 2 mg/mi nasal spray) as 200 micrograms to each nostril with a daily total dosage of 800 micrograms. The responses from each group were compared on the basis of duration of stimulation, total dosage of gonadotropin, E2 values on day 5, the down regulation duration, cyst formation, E2 values on the 1st day of stimulation and HCG, progesterone values and endometrial thickness on the HCG day, the number oocytes picked up, fertilization rates, the number of transferred embryos, pregnancy and implantation ratios.
Results: Evaluating Triptorelin (T), Leuprolide (LA) and Nafarelin (NA) groups respectively, E2 values on the 1st day of menstrual cycles, measured to confirm the down regulation for each GnRH-a, were 24.67 pg/ml, 21.23 pg/ml, 29.62 pg/ml (p<0.05); the total gonadotropin usage (ampoules) were 47.15 ± 12.97, 39.45 ± 13.97, 36.72 ± 13.14 (p<0.05); the number of retrieved oocytes were 9,89 ± 5,98, 10,50 ± 3,69 and 9,19 ± 5,31 (p>0,05); the fertilization rates were 89%, 100% and 100% (p>0.05). The implantation and pregnancy rates, the two major parameters of the study were 5% and 15% in T, 16.5% and 40% in LA, 14.8% and 38.8% in NA groups respectively (p>0,05).
Conclusions: Even though the success rates in Triptorelin group were somewhat lower, the results of every GnRH-a group were statistically similar; but to reach the same outcome we had to use more gonadotropins in this former group. Cost-effectivity analysis of the three GnRH-a makes Leuprolide and Nafarelin better choices than Triptorelin. However, we must state that our study has two major limitations to give a concrete conclusion, namely the study was not randomized and the number of patients was very small.

Keywords
Assisted reproductive techniques, GnRH-a, controlled ovarian hyperstimulation, Triptorelin, Nafarelin, Leuprolide acetate.