Levels of follicular G-CSF and interleukin-15 appear as noninvasive biomarkers of subsequent successful birth in modified natural in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles

ObjectiveTo explore oocyte competence for subsequent birth. The modified natural IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycle was used as an experimental model by measuring levels of cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors in individual follicular fluids (FF).DesignA retrospective blinded study.SettingEuropean network of research, Embryo Implantation Control (EMBIC).Patient(s)Single FF from 83 women were analyzed during a modified natural IVF/ICSI cycle, and reproducibility of follicular composition was evaluated over two cycles for 15 patients.Intervention(s)Each FF sample was blindly tested to assess levels of 26 factors by bead-based immunoassays.Main Outcome Measure(s)Each mediator was evaluated as a potential biomarker of subsequent birth by multivariate regression analysis.Result(s)A combination of both FF G-CSF and IL-15 was the optimal model to predict birth (AUCROC, 0.85). Birth rates per cycle were 48.9% (16/33) if two good-prognosis criteria were present (FF G-CSF >12 pg/mL and IL-15 <7 pg/mL) and 8% (3/36) and 0% (0/14) if, respectively, one or none were present. FF G-CSF was significantly correlated over two cycles (r = .71), suggesting a possible prognostic value of its documentation.Conclusion(s)Combined follicular G-CSF and IL-15 quantification appears as an efficient and noninvasive method to define oocyte competence for subsequent successful conception in modified natural IVF/ICSI cycles.