Reproductive SterilityNCT02935738
Prednisolone Improves IVF Outcomes in Men With Anti-sperm Antibodies
A study testing Prednisolone treatment in people with Reproductive Sterility, run by Barz IVF Center for Infertility Treatment and Embryo Research.
Trial summary
Corticosteroids have been indicated to treat men with ASAs. Although many studies have confirmed the clinical therapeutic significance of corticosteroids in the treatment of men with ASAs, other studies have not found a therapeutic significance for corticosteroids in the treatment of men with ASAs. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 25 to 45 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Reproductive Sterility
- What is being tested?
- Prednisolone treatment
- Type of treatment
- Pill or oral medicine, Injection or infusion
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 241 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- Oct 2014to May 2016
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 25 to 45 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Female partners had complete or partial tubal patency
- Male partners with anti-sperm antibodies
- Male partners with sperm count > 35 million/ml.
Who cannot join
- Female partners with polycystic ovary
- Female partners with endometriosis
- Female partners with abnormal profile of reproductive hormones
- Female partners with abnormal profile of thyroid hormones
- Male partners with seminal fluid infections (e.g. leukospermia)
- Male partners with abnormal profile of reproductive hormones
- Male partners with abnormal profile of thyroid hormones
About this study
Official title: Improvement in Pregnancy Outcomes in Immunologically Infertile Male Patients Undergoing Prednisolone Treatment and Conventional IVF Preceded by Sperm Penetration Assay: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Corticosteroids have been indicated to treat men with ASAs. Although many studies have confirmed the clinical therapeutic significance of corticosteroids in the treatment of men with ASAs, other studies have not found a therapeutic significance for corticosteroids in the treatment of men with ASAs. Moreover, although some reports have shown high fertilization and conception rates in couples when husbands did not have ASAs, other reports have shown that ASAs do not have a negative effect on fertilization and conception rates. These contradictory results have left the therapeutic effect of corticosteroids in men with ASA in continuing controversy. This controversy is also extended to include the usefulness of assisted reproductive technology (ART) in the treatment of patients with ASAs. In this regard, although some studies have shown that the pregnancy rate following in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracellular sperm injection (ICSI) were similar in men with or without ASA or did not associate with ASA, others reported the superiority of ICSI over IVF and intrauterine insemination over natural intercourse in men with ASAs. It is possible that some patients with ASAs also have an additional problem(s) related to sperm binding to the oolemma and fusion into the ovum as well as sperm head decondensation. The latter condition may negatively influence or mask the clinical significance of corticosteroids on pregnancy rates in patients with ASAs. Some patients might not have benefited from corticosteroids and conventional IVF treatments due to the impaired sperm fusogenic capacity in addition to ASAs. Human sperm penetration assay (SPA), of the hamster oocyte free from zona pellucida, is a sensitive tool that can address such potential impairment of sperm binding with the oolemma and fusion into the oocyte as well as sperm head decondensation. Males with poor SPA results benefit from ICSI whereas those with good SPA results can still benefit from conventional IVF.
The present study was therefore conducted to address the therapeutic usefulness of a corticosteroid named prednisolone in the treatment of immunologically infertile men undergoing IVF or ICSI determined by SPA.
Read the detailed description
This prospective study was conducted at the Barz IVF Center for Infertility Treatment and Embryo Research, Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq and the Baghdad University Teaching Hospital of the College of Medicine, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq between October 2014 and May 2016. In all cases, the wife's ova were inseminated with the husband's semen samples. Identified men with positive ASAs were randomly assigned for treatment with or without prednisolone for three cycles. Infertile men were treated with prednisolone tablet, po, for 21 days of their wife's menstrual cycles. Briefly, the prednisolone regimen was started with a dose of 5mg, tid, for two weeks followed by 5mg bid for five days. This was further tapered to one tablet of 5mg/day for two days. Patients were then given one week of rest from the treatment, before this prednisolone regimen was repeated for another two cycles
Treated men that recovered from ASAs and control patients underwent SPA. Patients with positive or negative SPA results were then admitted to conventional IVF or ICSI cycles, respectively. Only the first embryo transfer cycle following IVF or ICSI was included in this analysis.
- Conditions
- Reproductive Sterility
- Being tested
- Prednisolone treatment
- Keywords
- prednisolone, anti-sperm antibodies, sperm penetration assay
- Medical subject headings
- Infertility
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Prednisolone treatmentDrug
Also called Experimental
Infertile men were treated with prednisolone tablet, which is an intermediate acting corticosteroid, po, for 21 days of their wife's menstrual cycles. Briefly, the prednisolone regimen was started with a dose of 5mg, tid, for two weeks followed by 5mg bid for five days. This was further tapered to one tablet of 5mg/day for two days. Patients were then given one week of rest from the treatment, before this prednisolone regimen was repeated for another two cycles.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Prednisolone treated men / positive SPA / IVF | Experimental | Infertile men, with anti-sperm antibodies, were treated with prednisolone tablet, which is an intermediate acting corticosteroid, po, for 21 days of their wife's menstrual cycles. Briefly, the prednisolone regimen was started with a dose of 5mg, tid, for two weeks followed by 5mg bid for five days. This was further tapered to one tablet of 5mg/day for two days. Patients were then given one week of rest from the treatment, before this prednisolone regimen was repeated for another two cycles. Prednisolone treated men, who recovered from anti-sperm antibodies, underwent then sperm penetration assay (SPA) using zona-free hamster ova. Couples with male partners having positive SPA results (greater than five) were admitted to conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. Receives: Drug: Prednisolone treatment |
| Prednisolone treated men / negative SPA / ICSI | Experimental | Infertile men, with anti-sperm antibodies, were treated with prednisolone tablet, which is an intermediate acting corticosteroid, po, for 21 days of their wife's menstrual cycles. Briefly, the prednisolone regimen was started with a dose of 5mg, tid, for two weeks followed by 5mg bid for five days. This was further tapered to one tablet of 5mg/day for two days. Patients were then given one week of rest from the treatment, before this prednisolone regimen was repeated for another two cycles. Prednisolone treated men, who recovered from anti-sperm antibodies, underwent then sperm penetration assay (SPA) using zona-free hamster ova. Couples with male partners having negative SPA results (equal or less than five) were admitted to intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. Receives: Drug: Prednisolone treatment |
| Control men / positive SPA / IVF | No intervention | Infertile men with anti-sperm antibodies who were not treated with prednisolone, which is an intermediate acting corticosteroid, underwent sperm penetration assay (SPA) using zona-free hamster ova. Couples with male partners having positive SPA results (more than five) were then admitted to in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle. |
| Control men / negative SPA / ICSI | No intervention | Infertile men with anti-sperm antibodies who were not treated with prednisolone, which is an intermediate acting corticosteroid, underwent sperm penetration assay (SPA) using zona-free hamster ova. Couples with male partners having negative SPA results (equal or less than five) were then admitted to intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Number of Control and Treated Participants With Successful Live Births Following Conventional IVF or ICSI Cycles
Live birth rates in treated and control patients undergoing conventional IVF or ICSI cycles as determined by the sperm penetration assay (SPA) of hamster zone free ova
Measured: Nine months (pregnancy term) after the in vitro fertilization.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted17 Oct 2016 (estimated)
- Study startOct 2014
- Primary completionMar 2016
- Study completionMay 2016
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Publications (14)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Reproductive SterilityStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 241 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Barz IVF Center for Infertility Treatment and Embryo Research
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- University of Baghdad
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Saeeda A. Muhsen, DVM, PhD, Principal investigator, Barz IVF Center for Infertility Treatment and Embryo Research
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02935738
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Prednisolone-SPA-IVF
- Status last verified
- Oct 2020
- First submitted
- 11 Oct 2016
- Last updated
- 16 Nov 2020
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Publications
Omu AE, al-Qattan F, Abdul Hamada B. Effect of low dose continuous corticosteroid therapy in men with antisperm antibodies on spermatozoal quality and conception rate. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 1996 Nov;69(2):129-34. doi: 10.1016/0301-2115(95)02539-1.
PubMed 8902446Hendry WF, Treehuba K, Hughes L, Stedronska J, Parslow JM, Wass JA, Besser GM. Cyclic prednisolone therapy for male infertility associated with autoantibodies to spermatozoa. Fertil Steril. 1986 Feb;45(2):249-54. doi: 10.1016/s0015-0282(16)49163-6.
PubMed 3949025Hendry WF, Hughes L, Scammell G, Pryor JP, Hargreave TB. Comparison of prednisolone and placebo in subfertile men with antibodies to spermatozoa. Lancet. 1990 Jan 13;335(8681):85-8. doi: 10.1016/0140-6736(90)90548-j.
PubMed 1967425Keane D, Jenkins DM, Higgins T, O'Neill M, Mulcahy MF, Ferriss JB. The effect of intermittent steroid therapy on anti-sperm antibody levels. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 1995 Nov;63(1):75-9. doi: 10.1016/0301-2115(95)02217-u.
PubMed 8674571Bals-Pratsch M, Doren M, Karbowski B, Schneider HP, Nieschlag E. Cyclic corticosteroid immunosuppression is unsuccessful in the treatment of sperm antibody-related male infertility: a controlled study. Hum Reprod. 1992 Jan;7(1):99-104. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.humrep.a137568.
PubMed 1551969De Almeida M, Feneux D, Rigaud C, Jouannet P. Steroid therapy for male infertility associated with antisperm antibodies. Results of a small randomized clinical trial. Int J Androl. 1985 Apr;8(2):111-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2605.1985.tb00824.x.
PubMed 3894245Haas GG Jr, Manganiello P. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the use of methylprednisolone in infertile men with sperm-associated immunoglobulins. Fertil Steril. 1987 Feb;47(2):295-301.
PubMed 3545909Vazquez-Levin MH, Notrica JA, Polak de Fried E. Male immunologic infertility: sperm performance on in vitro fertilization. Fertil Steril. 1997 Oct;68(4):675-81. doi: 10.1016/s0015-0282(97)00255-0.
PubMed 9341610Ayvaliotis B, Bronson R, Rosenfeld D, Cooper G. Conception rates in couples where autoimmunity to sperm is detected. Fertil Steril. 1985 May;43(5):739-42. doi: 10.1016/s0015-0282(16)48557-2.
PubMed 3996618Pagidas K, Hemmings R, Falcone T, Miron P. The effect of antisperm autoantibodies in male or female partners undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer. Fertil Steril. 1994 Aug;62(2):363-9. doi: 10.1016/s0015-0282(16)56892-7.
PubMed 8034086Zini A, Lefebvre J, Kornitzer G, Bissonnette F, Kadoch IJ, Dean N, Phillips S. Anti-sperm antibody levels are not related to fertilization or pregnancy rates after IVF or IVF/ICSI. J Reprod Immunol. 2011 Jan;88(1):80-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jri.2010.09.002. Epub 2010 Dec 15.
PubMed 21111486Zini A, Fahmy N, Belzile E, Ciampi A, Al-Hathal N, Kotb A. Antisperm antibodies are not associated with pregnancy rates after IVF and ICSI: systematic review and meta-analysis. Hum Reprod. 2011 Jun;26(6):1288-95. doi: 10.1093/humrep/der074. Epub 2011 Mar 23.
PubMed 21429953Lahteenmaki A, Reima I, Hovatta O. Treatment of severe male immunological infertility by intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Hum Reprod. 1995 Nov;10(11):2824-8. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.humrep.a135800.
PubMed 8747025Robinson JN, Forman RG, Nicholson SC, Maciocia LR, Barlow DH. A comparison of intrauterine insemination in superovulated cycles to intercourse in couples where the male is receiving steroids for the treatment of autoimmune infertility. Fertil Steril. 1995 Jun;63(6):1260-6. doi: 10.1016/s0015-0282(16)57608-0.
PubMed 7750598
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 16 Nov 2020. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Improvement in Pregnancy Outcomes in Immunologically Infertile Male Patients Undergoing Prednisolone Treatment and Conventional IVF Preceded by Sperm Penetration Assay: A Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02935738
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- Prednisolone-SPA-IVF
- Conditions
- Reproductive Sterility
- Keywords
- prednisolone, anti-sperm antibodies, sperm penetration assay
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 241 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Barz IVF Center for Infertility Treatment and Embryo ResearchUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- University of Baghdad
- Study start
- Oct 2014
- Primary completion
- Mar 2016 (actual)
- Study completion
- May 2016 (actual)
- First posted
- 17 Oct 2016 (estimated)
- Results
- Posted 16 Nov 2020
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Corticosteroids have been indicated to treat men with ASAs. Although many studies have confirmed the clinical therapeutic significance of corticosteroids in the treatment of men with ASAs, other studies have not found a therapeutic significance for corticosteroids in the treatment of men with ASAs. Moreover, although some reports have shown high fertilization and conception rates in couples when husbands did not have ASAs, other reports have shown that ASAs do not have a negative effect on fertilization and conception rates. These contradictory results have left the therapeutic effect of corticosteroids in men with ASA in continuing controversy. This controversy is also extended to include the usefulness of assisted reproductive technology (ART) in the treatment of patients with ASAs. In this regard, although some studies have shown that the pregnancy rate following in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracellular sperm injection (ICSI) were similar in men with or without ASA or did not associate with ASA, others reported the superiority of ICSI over IVF and intrauterine insemination over natural intercourse in men with ASAs. It is possible that some patients with ASAs also have an additional problem(s) related to sperm binding to the oolemma and fusion into the ovum as well as sperm head decondensation. The latter condition may negatively influence or mask the clinical significance of corticosteroids on pregnancy rates in patients with ASAs. Some patients might not have benefited from corticosteroids and conventional IVF treatments due to the impaired sperm fusogenic capacity in addition to ASAs. Human sperm penetration assay (SPA), of the hamster oocyte free from zona pellucida, is a sensitive tool that can address such potential impairment of sperm binding with the oolemma and fusion into the oocyte as well as sperm head decondensation. Males with poor SPA results benefit from ICSI whereas those with good SPA results can still benefit from conventional IVF.
The present study was therefore conducted to address the therapeutic usefulness of a corticosteroid named prednisolone in the treatment of immunologically infertile men undergoing IVF or ICSI determined by SPA.
Detailed description
This prospective study was conducted at the Barz IVF Center for Infertility Treatment and Embryo Research, Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq and the Baghdad University Teaching Hospital of the College of Medicine, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq between October 2014 and May 2016. In all cases, the wife's ova were inseminated with the husband's semen samples. Identified men with positive ASAs were randomly assigned for treatment with or without prednisolone for three cycles. Infertile men were treated with prednisolone tablet, po, for 21 days of their wife's menstrual cycles. Briefly, the prednisolone regimen was started with a dose of 5mg, tid, for two weeks followed by 5mg bid for five days. This was further tapered to one tablet of 5mg/day for two days. Patients were then given one week of rest from the treatment, before this prednisolone regimen was repeated for another two cycles
Treated men that recovered from ASAs and control patients underwent SPA. Patients with positive or negative SPA results were then admitted to conventional IVF or ICSI cycles, respectively. Only the first embryo transfer cycle following IVF or ICSI was included in this analysis.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 4
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Prednisolone treated men / positive SPA / IVF | Experimental | Drug: Prednisolone treatmentInfertile men, with anti-sperm antibodies, were treated with prednisolone tablet, which is an intermediate acting corticosteroid, po, for 21 days of their wife's menstrual cycles. Briefly, the prednisolone regimen was started with a dose of 5mg, tid, for two weeks followed by 5mg bid for five days. This was further tapered to one tablet of 5mg/day for two days. Patients were then given one week of rest from the treatment, before this prednisolone regimen was repeated for another two cycles. Prednisolone treated men, who recovered from anti-sperm antibodies, underwent then sperm penetration assay (SPA) using zona-free hamster ova. Couples with male partners having positive SPA results (greater than five) were admitted to conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. |
| Prednisolone treated men / negative SPA / ICSI | Experimental | Drug: Prednisolone treatmentInfertile men, with anti-sperm antibodies, were treated with prednisolone tablet, which is an intermediate acting corticosteroid, po, for 21 days of their wife's menstrual cycles. Briefly, the prednisolone regimen was started with a dose of 5mg, tid, for two weeks followed by 5mg bid for five days. This was further tapered to one tablet of 5mg/day for two days. Patients were then given one week of rest from the treatment, before this prednisolone regimen was repeated for another two cycles. Prednisolone treated men, who recovered from anti-sperm antibodies, underwent then sperm penetration assay (SPA) using zona-free hamster ova. Couples with male partners having negative SPA results (equal or less than five) were admitted to intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. |
| Control men / positive SPA / IVF | No intervention | –Infertile men with anti-sperm antibodies who were not treated with prednisolone, which is an intermediate acting corticosteroid, underwent sperm penetration assay (SPA) using zona-free hamster ova. Couples with male partners having positive SPA results (more than five) were then admitted to in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle. |
| Control men / negative SPA / ICSI | No intervention | –Infertile men with anti-sperm antibodies who were not treated with prednisolone, which is an intermediate acting corticosteroid, underwent sperm penetration assay (SPA) using zona-free hamster ova. Couples with male partners having negative SPA results (equal or less than five) were then admitted to intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 25 to 45 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Female partners had complete or partial tubal patency
- Male partners with anti-sperm antibodies
- Male partners with sperm count > 35 million/ml.
Key exclusion criteria (7 listed)
- Female partners with polycystic ovary
- Female partners with endometriosis
- Female partners with abnormal profile of reproductive hormones
- Female partners with abnormal profile of thyroid hormones
- Male partners with seminal fluid infections (e.g. leukospermia)
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Prednisolone treatmentAlso: ExperimentalInfertile men were treated with prednisolone tablet, which is an intermediate acting corticosteroid, po, for 21 days of their wife's menstrual cycles. Briefly, the prednisolone regimen was started with a dose of 5mg, tid, for two weeks followed by 5mg bid for five days. This was further tapered to one tablet of 5mg/day for two days. Patients were then given one week of rest from the treatment, before this prednisolone regimen was repeated for another two cycles. | Drug | Prednisolone treated men / negative SPA / ICSI, Prednisolone treated men / positive SPA / IVF |
Primary outcome
Number of Control and Treated Participants With Successful Live Births Following Conventional IVF or ICSI Cycles
Time frame: Nine months (pregnancy term) after the in vitro fertilization.
Live birth rates in treated and control patients undergoing conventional IVF or ICSI cycles as determined by the sperm penetration assay (SPA) of hamster zone free ova
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 16 Nov 2020.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
- Background: PubMed 8902446Omu AE, al-Qattan F, Abdul Hamada B. Effect of low dose continuous corticosteroid therapy in men with antisperm antibodies on spermatozoal quality and conception rate. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 1996 Nov;69(2):129-34. doi: 10.1016/0301-2115(95)02539-1.
- Background: PubMed 3949025Hendry WF, Treehuba K, Hughes L, Stedronska J, Parslow JM, Wass JA, Besser GM. Cyclic prednisolone therapy for male infertility associated with autoantibodies to spermatozoa. Fertil Steril. 1986 Feb;45(2):249-54. doi: 10.1016/s0015-0282(16)49163-6.
- Background: PubMed 1967425Hendry WF, Hughes L, Scammell G, Pryor JP, Hargreave TB. Comparison of prednisolone and placebo in subfertile men with antibodies to spermatozoa. Lancet. 1990 Jan 13;335(8681):85-8. doi: 10.1016/0140-6736(90)90548-j.
- Background: PubMed 8674571Keane D, Jenkins DM, Higgins T, O'Neill M, Mulcahy MF, Ferriss JB. The effect of intermittent steroid therapy on anti-sperm antibody levels. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 1995 Nov;63(1):75-9. doi: 10.1016/0301-2115(95)02217-u.
- Background: PubMed 1551969Bals-Pratsch M, Doren M, Karbowski B, Schneider HP, Nieschlag E. Cyclic corticosteroid immunosuppression is unsuccessful in the treatment of sperm antibody-related male infertility: a controlled study. Hum Reprod. 1992 Jan;7(1):99-104. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.humrep.a137568.
- Background: PubMed 3894245De Almeida M, Feneux D, Rigaud C, Jouannet P. Steroid therapy for male infertility associated with antisperm antibodies. Results of a small randomized clinical trial. Int J Androl. 1985 Apr;8(2):111-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2605.1985.tb00824.x.
- Background: PubMed 3545909Haas GG Jr, Manganiello P. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the use of methylprednisolone in infertile men with sperm-associated immunoglobulins. Fertil Steril. 1987 Feb;47(2):295-301.
- Background: PubMed 9341610Vazquez-Levin MH, Notrica JA, Polak de Fried E. Male immunologic infertility: sperm performance on in vitro fertilization. Fertil Steril. 1997 Oct;68(4):675-81. doi: 10.1016/s0015-0282(97)00255-0.
- Background: PubMed 3996618Ayvaliotis B, Bronson R, Rosenfeld D, Cooper G. Conception rates in couples where autoimmunity to sperm is detected. Fertil Steril. 1985 May;43(5):739-42. doi: 10.1016/s0015-0282(16)48557-2.
- Background: PubMed 8034086Pagidas K, Hemmings R, Falcone T, Miron P. The effect of antisperm autoantibodies in male or female partners undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer. Fertil Steril. 1994 Aug;62(2):363-9. doi: 10.1016/s0015-0282(16)56892-7.
- Background: PubMed 21111486Zini A, Lefebvre J, Kornitzer G, Bissonnette F, Kadoch IJ, Dean N, Phillips S. Anti-sperm antibody levels are not related to fertilization or pregnancy rates after IVF or IVF/ICSI. J Reprod Immunol. 2011 Jan;88(1):80-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jri.2010.09.002. Epub 2010 Dec 15.
- Background: PubMed 21429953Zini A, Fahmy N, Belzile E, Ciampi A, Al-Hathal N, Kotb A. Antisperm antibodies are not associated with pregnancy rates after IVF and ICSI: systematic review and meta-analysis. Hum Reprod. 2011 Jun;26(6):1288-95. doi: 10.1093/humrep/der074. Epub 2011 Mar 23.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Saeeda A. Muhsen, DVM, PhD principal investigator
Barz IVF Center for Infertility Treatment and Embryo Research
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Prednisolone treatment in people with Reproductive Sterility, run by Barz IVF Center for Infertility Treatment and Embryo Research.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 7 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 16 Nov 2020. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 16 Nov 2020). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Number of Control and Treated Participants With Successful Live Births Following Conventional IVF or ICSI Cycles (time frame: Nine months (pregnancy term) after the in vitro fertilization.). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT02935738, which also lists 14 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 16 Nov 2020.