Correlation Between Immunological Laboratory Status of Omega-3-Fatty-Acid-Supplemented Patients of a German Fertility Centre and Outcome of IVF-Treatment

摘要

A well-defined group of patients of a German Fertility Centre, all supplemented periconceptually with omega-3- fatty acids, was monitored for specific alterations in the immunological laboratory status in correlation with the outcome of in- vitro-fertilization-(IVF)-treatment. For 36 of 52 IVF-patients IVF-treatment was successful. Patients with IVF-success revealed statistically significant lower soluble interleukin-2-receptor concentrations than unsuccessfully treated patients. Decreased numbers of CD4-positive T-cells could be correlated with increased failure rates of IVF, increased numbers of regulatory T-cells on the other hand with significantly improved success rates. Six of the parameters analyzed (T-lymphocytes, T-helper cells, B-lymphocytes, CD4/CD8 ratio and both classes of regulatory T-cells) significantly more often were below the median of the respective distribution in patients without IVF-success than in successfully treated. These results offer the possibility of developing a simple prognostic measure for the outcome of an IVF-therapy by assessing these parameters in relation to the median of the respective distribution. With increasing numbers of parameters lying below the median, the probability of successful IVF-treatment is decreasing.