A retrospective study on IVF outcome in patients with anticardiolipin antibody: effects of methylprednisolone plus low-dose aspirin adjuvant treatment.

Patients undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer have a high prevalence of anticardiolipin antibody (ACA). However, the relationship between ACA and IVF outcome is still controversial. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential effect of anticardiolipin antibody on IVF outcome and determine the role of adjuvant treatment in these ACA positive patients. The study included a total of 116 infertile women (116 IVF-ET cycles) positive for ACA, including 56 women pretreated with methylprednisolone plus low-dose aspirin before IVF (treated ACA+ group) and 60 patients without treatment (untreated ACA+ group). In addition, 518 infertile women (518 IVF-ET cycles) negative for ACA were enroled as controls (ACA- group). The results show that ACA+ patients who did not receive any adjuvant treatment showed a significantly lower fertilization rate, less high-quality embryos, as well as a markedly lower pregnancy rate and implantation rate than controls. Moreover, ACA+ patients who received methylprednisolone plus aspirin achieved significantly higher fertilization, pregnancy and implantation rates than untreated ACA+ patients (FR 69.0%, PR 46.4% and IR 25.4% vs. FR 60.0%, PR 33.3% and IR 17.9%, respectively). The overall IVF results in the treated ACA+ group were comparable to patients negative for ACA (PR 53.9% and IR 32.3%). Thus, while the presence of ACA exerts a detrimental effect on IVF outcome, ACA+ patients have a better outcome if given methylprednisolone for immunosuppression and low-dose aspirin as an anti-thrombotic agent.