Biomedical subjects

A Gargaropoulos

Publications and source records attributed to A Gargaropoulos.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1996

Pregnancy rates in gonadotrophin stimulated cycles with timed intercourse or intrauterine insemination for the treatment of male subfertility.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the pregnancy rates achieved by intrauterine insemination or timed intercourse in gonadotrophin stimulated cycles in couples whose only detectable abnormality was poor sperm quality. DESIGN: Sixty-two couples with primary or secondary infertility due to male factor entered the study. The 62 couples were randomly equally divided into two groups. Each group began one of the two treatment modalities (controlled ovarian hyperstimulation in conjunction with timed intercourse or intrauterine insemination) for three consecutive cycles and then switched to the alternative treatment after one rest cycle, if pregnancy was not achieved. RESULTS: Five pregnancies (3.9%) were achieved after 128 cycles with timed intercourse and 15 pregnancies (11.5%) after 130 cycles with intrauterine insemination. The difference was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: We suggest that intrauterine insemination during hMG stimulated cycles improves the pregnancy rates of couples whose only detectable abnormality is poor sperm quality.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Corticosteroid treatment does not improve the results of intrauterine insemination in male subfertility caused by antisperm antibodies.

AIM: To determine whether corticosteroid immunosuppression (CS) administered to the male partner together with intrauterine insemination (IUI) is preferable compared to IUI alone in treating male autoimmune subfertility. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-six couples with proven male immunological subfertility were randomly assigned to begin CS + IUI (n = 18) or IUI (n = 18) treatment and progressed alternatively to receiving each treatment modality for three cycles unless pregnancy occurred. Each couple served as their own control. The administered corticosteroid was soluble prednisolone. RESULTS: Five pregnancies were achieved with 77 cycles of CS + IUI and seven pregnancies with IUI alone. The pregnancy rates per cycle were 6.5% with CS + IUI and 9.21% with IUI, while the pregnancy rates per couple were 16.13% with CS + IUI and 21.2% with IUI alone. These rates do not differ to a statistically significant degree (P > 10%). CONCLUSIONS: The addition of corticosteroid immunosuppression does not seem to significantly enhance the pregnancy rate in couples with male autoimmune subfertility treated with IUI as compared to the treatment with IUI alone. Considering the possible side-effects of corticosteroid intake, we conclude that IUI alone might be preferable to the combination of IUI with corticosteroid administration.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Controlled ovarian hyperstimulation with or without intrauterine insemination for the treatment of unexplained infertility.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether there are any benefits from intrauterine insemination (IUI) as opposed to timed intercourse (TI) in stimulated ovarian cycles in couples with longstanding, unexplained infertility. METHODS: Forty-six couples with diagnoses of unexplained infertility were evaluated in a crossover study after a total of 141 cycles. Sixty-seven cycles were with IUI after controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) while 74 cycles were after COH and TI. RESULTS: The pregnancy rate after COH/TI was 16.7% and after COH/IUI 45.2%. Cycle fecundity however was 8.9% after COH/TI and 25.7% after COH/IUI, which is a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: A trial of human menopausal gonadotropin and IUI is justified in couples with prolonged infertility of unknown cause.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Immune dysfunction in patients with unexplained repeated abortions.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the immunological profiles by antiphospholipid antibodies IgG, IgM, IgA immunoglobulins ACA, as well as C3, C4 complement component levels. METHODS: A group of 44 women with a history of three or more consecutive pregnancy losses was compared with 34 normal women. RESULTS: Our results showed lower levels of IgG immunoglobulins for the patient group (P < 0.001) while the C3, C4 complement component levels remained unaltered. Anticardiolipin antibodies were positive in ten patients for IgG or IgM isotypes or for both presenting a prevalence of 22.7% while none of the control subjects had ACA positive titers. The lupus anticoagulant was not detected in either group. Ten patients (22.7%) presented positive autoantibody tests as compared with only 3 (8.8%) of the control group. No statistical differences were found between the two groups when the frequency of each autoantibody's positive tests were examined separately. CONCLUSIONS: An inconsistent immune derangement seems to be present in recurrent aborters with the presence of anticardiolipin antibodies as the stronger representative marker of immune alteration.

Abortion, Habitual↗

PubMed1993

A randomized comparison of intrauterine and intraperitoneal insemination in the treatment of infertility.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the pregnancy rates (PRs) between intrauterine insemination (IUI) and intraperitoneal insemination (IPI) in women receiving comparable ovarian stimulation in couples who were infertile for various infertility conditions. METHOD: Fifty-four couples were treated. Of these, 25 were diagnosed as having unexplained infertility, 21 as having male infertility and 8 as having cervical mucus hostility. RESULT: Nine pregnancies occurred with 89 cycles of IUI and 6 pregnancies with 85 cycles of IPI, giving an overall PR of 28%. Twelve of the 15 pregnancies occurred during the first treatment cycle and three during the second treatment cycle. There was no significant difference in the (PRs) between the IUI and IPI (P > 0.25). CONCLUSION: Both procedures combined with superovulation proved to be simple, inexpensive safe and worthwhile for infertile couples with unexplained infertility, male infertility and cervical mucus hostility.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

Treatment of idiopathic infertility with testosterone undecanoate. A double blind study.

This study refers to 50 couples treated for subfertility. Twenty five of these patients were treated with TU (Testosterone Ur econoate), the remaining 25 received placebo. Sperm characteristics, including ejaculate volume, pH, sperm density, morphology, motility, total testosterone, FSH, LH, DHT and E2 were evaluated both before and after treatment. A statistically significant increase of DHT levels was noticed after TU administration, whereas a marginally significant improvement of sperm morphology was present. Serum FSH concentrations, decreased significantly in the TU group whereas serum LH presented a slight but not statistically significant decrease; 4 pregnancies were achieved by the TU group whereas none were achieved by the patients belonging to the placebo group. The administration of TU per os to patients with idiopathic oligospermia presents a demonstrably positive effect.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed1992

Plasma and amniotic fluid concentration of fibronectin during normal and diabetic pregnancy.

Fibronectin is a plasma glycoprotein which is involved in coagulation, platelet function, tissue repair and the vascular endothelial basement membrane. To ascertain the influence of pregnancy on plasma concentrations of fibronectin, we qualified plasma concentrations of fibronectin in normal pregnant women during the first, second and third trimester; at the time of delivery; and on the third day post partum, using a radial immunodiffusion plate procedure. The concentrations of fibronectin found in these samples were compared with the concentration of fibronectin in 20 pregnancies complicated by diabetes. Mean plasma concentrations of fibronectin rose significantly through pregnancy and were significantly higher during delivery. A decrease in the concentrations was noticed on the third post partum day. An even more significant decrease of maternal plasma concentrations was noticed during cesarean section in normal pregnancies as compared to the concentrations found at the time of normal delivery. Of the diabetic group of women studied, higher concentrations of plasma fibronectin were found at the time of cesarean section than at the time of delivery. Maternal plasma concentrations of fibronectin were significantly greater than amniotic fluid and umbilical cord plasma concentrations.

Amniotic Fluid↗

PubMed1991

Plasma and amniotic fluid concentrations of fibronectin during normal and post term pregnancy.

Fibronectin is a plasma glycoprotein which is involved in coagulation, platelet function, tissue repair and the vascular endothelial basement membrane. Increase of plasma fibronectin levels in pre-eclamptic patients have been previously reported. There have been no reports however regarding plasma fibronectin levels during post term pregnancy. A significant decrease of maternal plasma concentration of fibronectin was noticed during third trimester, at the time of delivery, and the third post partum day in post term pregnancies as compared to the concentrations found in normal pregnancies.

Amniotic Fluid↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Treatment of idiopathic oligozoospermia with an alpha-blocker: a placebo-controlled double-blind trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of terazosin, an alpha-blocker, for the treatment of idiopathic oligozoospermia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty couples with infertility whose only detectable abnormality was male idiopathic subfertility entered the study. The diagnosis of idiopathic subfertility in all males studied, aged 26 to 38 years (mean 28.2 years), was confirmed after exclusion of any iatrogenic, systemic, congenital, infectious, autoimmune or endocrinological cause. In order to start with a baseline value before the study, at least three semen samples were evaluated in accordance with the WHO recommendation. Before initiation of treatment, blood samples were drawn for measurement of FSH, LH, testosterone, prolactin, dihydrotestosterone, and estradiol. Fifteen randomly selected patients (Group A) received 2 mg/d of alpha-blocker (terazosin), while another 15 (Group B) were administered an identically packed placebo tablet. Both groups received therapy for 6 months. RESULTS: The mean seminal volume changed insignificantly between the two groups (4.15 +/- 1.95 vs. 4.10 +/- 1.95). There was a statistically significant increase of the sperm concentration in patients who received the alpha-blocker compared to those receiving placebo (24.76 +/- 9.45 vs. 13.15 +/- 11.55 millions/mL; P < .001). No improvement of the mean percentage of abnormal spermatozoa was observed in the treated patients, nor a statistically significant difference of sperm motility in the treated group compared to the placebo group. Side effects were not observed in the patients receiving terazosin treatment, or were so minimal that therapy was continued. The pregnancy rates did not differ between the two groups to a statistically significant degree. CONCLUSION: The administration of terazosin to patients with idiopathic oligozoospermia has a demonstrably positive effect, especially on sperm concentration.

Administration, Oral↗