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AzTrials

SubfertilityPhase 3NCT02151006

Does Dehydro Epiandrosterone (DHEA) Improve Pregnancy Rate in Women Undergoing IVF/ICSI With Expected Poor Ovarian Response?

A Phase 3 study testing DHEA in people with Subfertility, run by Cairo University at 2 sites in Egypt.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

140 women with expected poor ovarian response undergoing IVF/ICSI will be randomly divided into 2 groups using computer generated random numbers . Group 1 ( study group) will receive DHEA 25 mg ( DHEA 25mg, Natrol , USA) t.d.s daily for 12 weeks before starting IVF/ICSI cycle. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 20 to 45 years, women only
Conditions the study is for
Subfertility
What is being tested?
DHEA
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
140 participants
Where
2 sitesEgypt
Study dates
May 2014to May 2015
Phase
Phase 3
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

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 20 to 45 years
  • Women only
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • Women undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment with expected poor ovarian response according to the Bologna criteria

Who cannot join

  • Women with BMI >35 Kg/M2
  • Women with a single ovary
  • Known allergy to DHEA
  • Diabetic women on insulin as insulin lowers DHEA levels and might reduce the effectiveness of DHEA supplements

Trial locations and contacts

2 sites in 1 country.

Egypt2 sites

  • Cairo University Hospitals

    Cairo

  • Dar AlTeb subfertility centre

    Giza

Other trials in Egypt

About this study

Official title: Does DHEA Improve Pregnancy Rate in Women Undergoing IVF/ICSI With Expected Poor Ovarian Response According to the Bologna Criteria? A Randomized Controlled Study

140 women with expected poor ovarian response undergoing IVF/ICSI will be randomly divided into 2 groups using computer generated random numbers . Group 1 ( study group) will receive DHEA 25 mg ( DHEA 25mg, Natrol , USA) t.d.s daily for 12 weeks before starting IVF/ICSI cycle. Group 2 ( control group) will not receive DHEA. Patients included in the study will be subjected to full history taking and clinical examination. On the second day of menstruation serum FSH, LH, Prolactin and Oestradiol will be assessed and the antral follicular count (AFC) will be assessed using a vaginal ultrasound scan. AFC will be defined as the number of follicles measuring 3-10mm.

All patients will have gonadotropin antagonist protocol with Human menopausal gonadotrophin (HMG) stimulation until the day of (Human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) administration. On the day of HCG administration, ovarian ultrasound scan will be performed using a transvaginal probe. Oocytes will be aspirated 34-36 hours after HCG administration. Oocytes will be fertilized and embryos will be transferred. Both groups will be compared regarding the proportion of pregnancy.

Read the detailed description

The study will be conducted in Cairo university hospitals and Dar Al-Teb Infertility and Assisted conception center, Giza Egypt. All patients attending the centre will be evaluated for their expected ovarian response.Patients fulfilling the Bologna criteria definition of poor ovarian response will be invited to participate in the study and to sign informed consent forms. The invitation will include a clear full explanation of the study.

140 women will be randomly divided into 2 groups using computer generated random numbers. Group 1 ( study group) will include 70 women who will receive DHEA 25 mg t.d.s ( DHEA®, Natrol , USA) twice daily for 12 weeks before starting IVF/ICSI cycle. Group 2 will include 70 women who will not receive DHEA and will serve as the control group. All women fulfilling the inclusion criteria will be invited to participate in the study. A written informed consent will be taken and only women signing the consent will be included in the study.

Patients included in the study will be subjected to full history taking and clinical examination including general, abdominal and gynecological examination. This will be followed by a vaginal ultrasound scan to assess uterus, ovaries and any pelvic masses.

On the second day of menstruation serum FSH, LH, Prolactin and Oestradiol will be assessed and the antral follicular count (AFC) will be assessed using a vaginal ultrasound scan. AFC will be defined as the number of follicles measuring 3-10mm.

The stimulation protocol will start on day 2 using 450-300 IU HMG ( Merional® IBSA, Lugano, Switzerland) and GnRH antagonist, cetrorelix (Cetrotide® Merck Serono, Darmstadt, Germany) 0.025 mg daily. Gonadotropins will be administered for 4 to 5 days, after which the dose will be adjusted according to the ovarian response. The ovarian response will be monitored by transvaginal ultrasound and serum E2 levels. When three or more follicles reached a maximum diameter of 16 mm, highly purified HCG 5000 or 10,000 IU (Choriomon ®IBSA) will be administered. The procedure will be cancelled if less than 3 follicles 16 mm in size are present 12 days after starting gonadotropins despite doses reaching 450 IU. The cycle will be also cancelled if there is risk of ovarian hyperstimulation like massive ovarian enlargement or serum estradiol exceeds 3000pg/L Transvaginal oocyte retrieval will be performed 34-36 h after the administration of HCG. Oocytes will be fertilized either via IVF or ICSI based on the couple's history. Fertilization will be assessed 16-18 h after IVF or ICSI . Embryos will be transferred on Day 3 or 5. Vaginal tablets containing progesterone (Prontogest® IBSA) 400 mg/day will be given when fertilization is confirmed. A pregnancy test will be done 2 weeks after embryo transfer. For patients with a positive pregnancy test, progesterone is to be continued for an additional 4 weeks. Clinical pregnancy will be defined as Visualization of an intrauterine gestational sac 5 weeks after embryo transfer.

Conditions
Subfertility
Being tested
DHEA
Keywords
DHEA, IVF, ICSI
Medical subject headings
Infertility

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • DHEADrug

Study groups in NCT02151006
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
DHEAActive comparatorwomen will receive DHEA 6 weeks before starting IVF/ICSI
Receives: Drug: DHEA
ControlNo interventionNot described

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Clinical pregnancy

    Sonographic detection of a gestational sac

    Measured: 5 weeks after embryo transfer

Secondary outcomes (3)

  1. Number of oocytes retrieved

    Measured: one hour after ovum pick up

  2. Number of formed embryos

    Measured: 3 days after ovum pick up

  3. Quality of formed embryos

    Measured: 3 days after ovum pick up

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted30 May 2014 (estimated)
  2. Study startMay 2014
  3. Primary completionMay 2015
  4. Study completionMay 2015

Resources

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 3
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
140 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT02151006
Sponsor's protocol ID
Sub 2
Status last verified
May 2015
First submitted
28 May 2014
Last updated
19 May 2015
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
Yes

Publications

  • Ferraretti AP, La Marca A, Fauser BC, Tarlatzis B, Nargund G, Gianaroli L; ESHRE working group on Poor Ovarian Response Definition. ESHRE consensus on the definition of 'poor response' to ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization: the Bologna criteria. Hum Reprod. 2011 Jul;26(7):1616-24. doi: 10.1093/humrep/der092. Epub 2011 Apr 19.

    PubMed 21505041

  • Barad D, Brill H, Gleicher N. Update on the use of dehydroepiandrosterone supplementation among women with diminished ovarian function. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2007 Dec;24(12):629-34. doi: 10.1007/s10815-007-9178-x. Epub 2007 Dec 11.

    PubMed 18071895

  • Casson PR, Lindsay MS, Pisarska MD, Carson SA, Buster JE. Dehydroepiandrosterone supplementation augments ovarian stimulation in poor responders: a case series. Hum Reprod. 2000 Oct;15(10):2129-32. doi: 10.1093/humrep/15.10.2129.

    PubMed 11006185

  • Gleicher N, Weghofer A, Barad DH. The role of androgens in follicle maturation and ovulation induction: friend or foe of infertility treatment? Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2011 Aug 17;9:116. doi: 10.1186/1477-7827-9-116.

    PubMed 21849061

  • Kotb MM, Hassan AM, AwadAllah AM. Does dehydroepiandrosterone improve pregnancy rate in women undergoing IVF/ICSI with expected poor ovarian response according to the Bologna criteria? A randomized controlled trial. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2016 May;200:11-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2016.02.009. Epub 2016 Feb 21.

    PubMed 26963897

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 3 study testing DHEA in people with Subfertility, run by Cairo University at 2 sites in Egypt.

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 1 inclusion and 4 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 19 May 2015. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 2 sites in Egypt. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

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.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 3 studies compare the treatment with the current standard treatment or a placebo in a large group, to confirm how well it works and watch for side effects.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

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?

Clinical pregnancy (time frame: 5 weeks after embryo transfer). 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 NCT02151006, which also lists 5 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 19 May 2015.

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