Impact of Luteinized Unruptured Follicles on Endometrial Receptivity

This study examined the impact of luteinized unruptured follicle （LUF） on endometrial receptivity. The menstrual cycle of 17 LUF patients （LUF group） and 13 ovulatory women （control group） was monitored by measuring LH level in urine and by ultrasonic examination. An endometrial biopsy at the sixth to tenth day after LH surge was taken in all the patients. The expressions of endometrial ER, PR and integrin ανβ3 were immunohistochemically determined. At the same time, the serum levels of E2 and P were detected by chemiluminescence. The results exhibited that （1） The mean serum P level in LUF group （7.32±2.56 ng/mL） was significantly lower than that in control group （11.17±3.17 ng/mL） （P0.01）. But there was no significant difference in the mean serum E2 levels between LUF group （179.35±81.60 pg/mL） and the control group （198.58±75.23 pg/mL） （P0.05）; （2） The mean expression intensities of ER, PR in endometrium of LUF group （183.86±2.43, 167.94±3.04） were significantly higher than those in control group （109.35±6.31, 105.98±4.07） （P0.01）; （3） The mean expression intensities of integrin ανβ3 in endomtrium of LUF patients （114.90±11.38） were significantly lower than those in control group （191.34±1.82） （P0.01）; （4） The change profile of integrin ανβ3 expression in the endometrium of LUF patients was in positive relation with serum P level （r=0.77, P0.01）, but bore no significant relationship with serum E2 level （r=0.01, P0.05）. It was concluded that the depression of serum P levels in LUF patients was closely related to the failure of the down-regulation of ER and PR, and the low expressions of integrin ανβ3 also suggested that the delayed implantation and the impaired endometrial receptivity had impact on embryonic implantation.

Clinical Observations on Electroacupuncture-induced Ovulation in Patients with Luteinized Unruptured Follicle Syndrome

Objective： To investigate the curative effect of electroacupuncture on luteinized unruptured follicle syndrome（LUFS） and its mechanism, Methods： Sixty LUFS patients were randomly allocated to treatment （electroacupuncture） group and control （hCG） group. The follicular condition and ovarian arterial flow under color Doppler ultrasonogaphy and a change in reproductive endocrine level were observed in the patients before and after treatments. The ovulation rates and pregnancy rates were compared between the two groups, and the mechanism was investigated. Results： Both ovulation rate and pregnancy rate were significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group （P〈0.01）. There was a significant difference in the improvement in ovarian arterial flow between the treatment and control groups （P〈0.01）. The improvement in endocrine level was significantly more marked in the treatment group than in the control group（P〈0.01）. Conclusion： Electroacupuncture has a good effect on luteinized unrupture follicle syndrome. Its mechanism may be related to the improvement in ovarian arterial blood supply and the regulation of endocrine level.