Vascular endothelial growth factor, interleukin-6 and interleukin-2 in serum and follicular fluid of patients with ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome

Background: the pathogenesis of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is not completely understood. Objective: to investigate the presence of VEGF, IL-6 and IL-2, in serum and follicular fluid, in patients developing severe OHSS. Study design: we enrolled 101 women undergoing in vitro fertilization. Eight patients developing severe OHSS were compared with 43 high risk patients and 50 controls. We analyzed VEGF and IL-6 in serum collected before hCG administration. and in both serum and follicular fluid on the day of oocyte retrieval. Results: OHSS patients presented follicular fluid IL-6 levels higher than both the patients at risk and controls (P < 0.05). On the day of the oocyte retrieval the patients developing OHSS showed serum and follicular VEGF values higher than the ones of the patients at risk (P < 0.05). Serum and follicular fluid IL-2 levels showed no differences between the examined groups. IL-2, IL-6 and VEGF values were not correlated with each other. Conclusions: angiogenesis and inflammation processes are both present in severe OHSS. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.