The association between follicular fluid levels of cathepsin B, relaxin or AMH with clinical pregnancy rates in infertile patients

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of cathepsin B, relaxin and anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) in follicular fluid (FF) with pregnancy rates in infertility patients.Study designSeventy-nine infertile couples who underwent ICSI were included in the study. The FF levels of cathepsin B, relaxin and AMH were measured using ELISA kits.ResultsThe FF cathepsin B levels were statistically higher in pregnant patients compared with non-pregnant patients (0.20 ± 0.13 versus 0.13 ± 0.03; P < 0.001). There were statistically significant differences in the total number of oocytes (10.00 ± 6.85 versus 5.96 ± 3.94); the mean number of M2 oocytes (8.65 ± 5.63 versus 4.58 ± 3.36) between the pregnant and non-pregnant patients (P < 0.05). There were no significant correlations between pregnancy rates and relaxin and AMH (P > 0.05). The area under the curve of cathepsin B for prediction of pregnancy was 0.662 (p = 0.024, 95% Confidence Interval 0.528–0.797).ConclusionsThis study demonstrated that increased level of cathepsin B in FF significantly correlates with a better chance of clinical pregnancy. Further studies are needed to clarify the role of cathepsin B in the reproductive process of humans.