Low-serum antimüllerian hormone is linked with poor semen quality in infertile men screened for participation in a randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

To investigate possible associations between serum antimüllerian hormone (AMH) concentration and semen quality in infertile men. Studies investigating the associations between serum AMH concentration and semen quality in infertile men have shown conflicting results.

DESIGN

Infertile men were included during screening for participation in the First in Treating Male Infertility Study, a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, 1:1, single-center randomized controlled trial.

SETTING

Not applicable.

PATIENTS

At the screening visit, 400 participants produced a semen sample and had their serum analyzed for AMH concentration.

INTERVENTION

Not applicable.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Serum AMH concentration and semen quality.

RESULTS

All men were stratified according to serum AMH concentrations in quartiles (Q1-Q4). Men in the lowest quartile had a lower sperm concentration (1 × 106/mL) (Q1: 8.0 vs. Q2: 10.4 vs. Q3: 11.0 vs. Q4: 13.0), total sperm count (1 × 106) (Q1: 29.1 vs. Q2: 38.2 vs. Q3: 44.4 vs. Q4: 55.7), sperm motility (%) (Q1: 41 vs. Q2: 57 vs. Q3: 50 vs. Q4: 53), and progressive sperm motility (%) (Q1: 31 vs. Q2: 44 vs. Q3: 35 vs. Q4: 40) compared with the other quartiles. Moreover, men with a sperm concentration <2 million/mL had a lower serum AMH concentration compared with men having 2-16 × 106 /mL and >16 × 106/mL (31 pmol/L vs. 38 pmol/L vs. 43 pmol/L, respectively). In accordance, men with sperm motility <20% had a lower serum AMH concentration compared with men with sperm motility 20%-42%, and >42% (31 pmol/L vs. 43 pmol/L. vs. 39 pmol/L, respectively).

CONCLUSION

This study shows that low serum AMH concentration is associated with poor semen quality in infertile men, which implies that serum AMH concentration may have clinical value during the evaluation of male infertility.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT05212337.

Correlation of AMH with Cardiometabolic Markers in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective

The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine whether there is a connection between polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)-affected women's levels of the anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) and certain cardiometabolic indicators.

Materials and Methods

To find pertinent recent research published between 2017 and 2023, a thorough search was done in PubMed. Studies were included if they looked into the relationship between PCOS-related women's AMH levels and cardiometabolic markers. To determine pooled effect estimates, data from the included studies were examined using random-effects models.

Results

Five papers were included in the meta-analysis since they satisfied the inclusion requirements. The meta-analysis found substantial positive relationships between AMH levels and markers of insulin resistance, fasting blood sugar levels, and dyslipidemia measures such as total cholesterol (SMD: 0.68, 95% confidence interval: 0.34-1.00, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

This systematic review and meta-analysis show that AMH levels in PCOS-affected women significantly positively correlate with markers of insulin resistance, fasting glucose levels, and dyslipidemia parameters. These findings imply that the pathogenesis of the cardiometabolic abnormalities seen in PCOS may include AMH. AMH may be used as a biomarker to estimate the cardiometabolic risk in PCOS-affected women, but more studies are required to determine its clinical applicability.

Change of HeART: Cardiovascular Implications of Assisted Reproductive Technology

Cardiovascular (CV) disease is the leading cause of death in women, and it may manifest differently than in men, in part related to sex-specific CV risk factors. In females, assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) are commonly used to treat infertility, and they utilize controlled ovarian stimulation involving the administration of exogenous sex hormones. ARTs, and especially controlled ovarian stimulation, have been associated with an increased pregnancy and short-term CV risk, although the long-term CV implications of these treatments in individuals treated with ARTs and their offspring remain unclear. This review endeavors to provide a comprehensive examination of what is known about the relationship between ART and CV outcomes for females treated with ARTs, as well as their offspring, and recommendations for future research. Novel insights into female-specific CV risk factors are critical to reduce the disproportionate burden of CV disease in Canadian women. ART has revolutionized reproductive medicine, offering hope to millions of individuals with infertility worldwide, and a further understanding of the CV implications of this important sex-specific CV risk factor is warranted urgently.

Anti-Mullerian hormone and cardiometabolic status: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

To summarise the relationship between Anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) levels and cardiometabolic status in different populations.

METHODS

PubMed, Scopus, and Embase were searched for retrieving observational studies published up to February 2022 investigating the relationship between AMH level and cardiometabolic status.

RESULTS

Of 3,643 studies retrieved from databases, a total of 37 observational studies were included in this review. The majority of the included studies revealed an inverse association between AMH and lipid profiles, including triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and a positive correlation with high-density lipoprotein (HDL). While some studies have revealed a significant inverse association between AMH and glycemic parameters, including fasting plasma glucose (FPG), fasting insulin, and HOMA-IR, others found no such relationships. There is also an inconsistency among studies regarding the association of AMH with adiposity indices and blood pressure. Evidence indicates a significant association between AMH and some vascular markers, such as intima-media thickness and coronary artery calcification. Of 3 studies evaluating the relationship between AMH and cardiovascular events, two studies showed an inverse relationship between AMH levels and cardiovascular (CVD), whereas another study showed no significant association.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this systematic review suggest that serum AMH levels can be associated with CVD risk. This may provide new insight into the use of AMH concentrations as a predictive marker for assessing the risk of cardiovascular disease, although more well-design longitudinal studies are still necessary for this area. Future studies on this topic will hopefully provide an opportunity to run a meta-analysis; it will increase the persuasiveness of this interpretation.

Does the addition of serum antimüllerian hormone concentrations to the Framingham Risk Score and Pooled Cohort Equations improve the prediction of cardiovascular disease?

The present study revealed that the addition of serum antimüllerian hormone concentrations to Framingham Risk Score and Pooled Cohort Equations could potentially improve the risk prediction of cardiovascular disease.

Objective

The current study aimed to examine the added value of serum antimüllerian hormone (AMH) concentration to the Framingham Risk Score (FRS) and Pooled Cohort Equations (PCE) in predicting the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in women of reproductive age.

Methods

Women 30 years and older were considered eligible for this population-based prospective study. The univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the association between the serum concentrations of AMH and the risk of CVD.

Results

In the enhanced model, which integrated AMH into FRS and PCE and was adjusted for family history of premature CVD, AMH showed a significant association with the risk of CVD during a 19-year follow-up of 800 women (hazard ratio, 0.77 [95% CI, 0.60-0.99] and hazard ratio, 0.64 [95% CI, 0.48-0.84], respectively). According to the likelihood-ratio test, the addition of AMH measurements to FRS and PCE could significantly improve the risk prediction of CVD (P = 0.02 and P < 0.001, respectively); however, the integration of this biomarker did not improve the classification of risk categories.

Conclusions

The present findings revealed that the addition of serum AMH concentrations to FRS and PCE could potentially improve the risk prediction of CVD.

The independent associations of anti-Müllerian hormone and estradiol levels over the menopause transition with lipids/lipoproteins: The Study of Women's health Across the Nation

BACKGROUND

The menopause transition (MT) is linked to adverse changes in lipids/lipoproteins. However, the related contributions of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and estradiol (E2) are not clear.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the independent associations of premenopausal AMH and E2 levels and their changes with lipids/lipoproteins levels [total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), apolipoprotein B (apoB) and apolipoprotein A-1 (apoA-1)] over the MT.

METHODS

SWAN participants who transitioned to menopause without exogenous hormone use, hysterectomy, or bilateral oophorectomy with data available on both exposure and outcomes when they were premenopausal until the 1st visit postmenopausal were studied.

RESULTS

The study included 1,440 women (baseline-age:mean±SD=47.4±2.6) with data available from up to 9 visits (1997-2013). Lower premenopausal levels and greater declines in AMH were independently associated with greater TC and HDL-C, whereas lower premenopausal levels and greater declines in E2 were independently associated with greater TG and apo B and lower HDL-C. Greater declines in AMH were independently associated with greater apoA-1, and greater declines in E2 were independently associated with greater TC and LDL-C.

CONCLUSIONS

AMH and E2 and their changes over the MT relate differently to lipids/lipoproteins profile in women during midlife. Lower premenopausal and/or greater declines in E2 over the MT were associated with an atherogenic lipid/lipoprotein profile. On the other hand, lower premenopausal AMH and/or greater declines in AMH over the MT were linked to higher apo A-1 and HDL-C; the later found previously to be related to a greater atherosclerotic risk after menopause.

Anti-Müllerian hormone and vascular dysfunction in women with chronic kidney disease

Young women with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have disproportionately increased risk of cardiovascular mortality. Reduced anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is linked to poor cardiovascular outcomes in the general population, but whether AMH is associated with increased cardiovascular risk in the high-risk CKD population is unknown. This study examined the association between AMH and vascular function, validated markers of cardiovascular risk, in women with CKD. An exploratory cross-sectional study was performed in 47 young women with CKD. Laboratory measurements of AMH were collected. Using standardized protocols, endothelial function was measured with brachial artery flow-mediated dilation and hyperemic velocity time integral. Arterial stiffness was measured with aortic augmentation index and pulse wave velocity. Multivariate linear regression analyses were utilized to evaluate the association between AMH levels and each measure of vascular health. Forty women (36 ± 7 years) with non-dialysis-dependent CKD and 7 women (38 ± 6 years) with dialysis-dependent CKD participated. AMH levels were inversely associated with age (p = 0.01) but not associated with eGFR (p = 0.59) or dialysis status (p = 0.97). AMH was associated with brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (R2  = 0.21 [p = 0.03]) and aortic augmentation index (R2  = 0.20 [p = 0.04]) in the non-dialysis-dependent participants, and with aortic augmentation index in all participants (R2  = 0.18 [p = 0.03]). No association between AMH and any measure of vascular function was demonstrated in the dialysis-dependent participants. AMH levels are associated with impaired vascular function in young women with CKD and may be an important marker of future cardiovascular risk. Further investigation into this female-specific cardiovascular risk factor is warranted in this high-risk population.

The Effect of Gastric Sleeve Resection on Menstrual Pattern and Ovulation in Premenopausal Women with Classes III-IV Obesity

PURPOSE

Bariatric surgery is very efficacious in treating severe obesity. However, its effect on menstruation and ovulation is currently unknown. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of gastric sleeve resection (GSR) on menstrual pattern in women with stages III-IV obesity and ovulatory dysfunction compared with conventional management.

METHODS

This was a prospective, multicentre, non-randomized trial, in premenopausal women, who fulfilled the criteria for gastric sleeve resection (GSR). Both women with and without polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) were evaluated at 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 months post-surgery.

RESULTS

Menstrual cycle irregularities were identified in 122 severely obese women (60 with PCOS; 62 without PCOS). The % total weight loss was greater with GSR than with conventional management (33.4% vs. 3.6% in PCOS; 24.8% vs. 3.6% in non-PCOS, respectively). Intermenstrual interval was shortened towards normal length (≤ 35 days) both in PCOS and non-PCOS GSR groups, by the 6th and 12th post-surgical month, respectively. Furthermore, ovulation at 6 months was achieved in 63.6% of PCOS and 45% of non-PCOS subjects post-GSR, which was higher than in controls (11.1% and 13.6%, respectively; p < 0.05). This percentage rose to 75.7% and 81.8% at 12 and 15 months in PCOS, respectively, but not in the non-PCOS group (55% and 52.5%, respectively; p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Weight reduction after GSR improved menstrual irregularity towards normality in women with severe obesity. Ovulation dysfunction was also resumed in more than half of these patients at 6-15 months. These effects were more evident in women with PCOS.

Decline in anti-Müllerian hormone concentrations following radioactive iodine treatment in women with differentiated thyroid cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM

Radioactive iodine (RAI) is frequently used as adjuvant therapy in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). However, its effect on ovarian reserve has not been fully elucidated, with studies yielding inconsistent results. The aim of this study was to systematically review and meta-analyze the best available evidence regarding the effect of RAI on ovarian reserve in premenopausal women with DTC.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Cochrane and Scopus, through to December 6^th, 2020. Data were expressed as weighted mean difference (WMD) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). The I² index was used to assess heterogeneity.

RESULTS

Four prospective studies were included in the qualitative and quantitative analysis. Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) concentrations decreased at three (WMD -1.66 ng/ml, 95% CI -2.42 to -0.91, p<0.0001; I² 0%), six (WMD -1.58, 95% CI -2.63 to -0.52, p=0.003; I² 54.7%) and 12 months (WMD -1.62 ng/ml, 95% CI -2.02 to -1.22, p<0.0001; I² 15.5%) following a single RAI dose compared with baseline (three studies; n=104). With respect to follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) concentrations, no difference was observed at six (WMD +3.29 IU/l, 95% CI -1.12 to 7.70, p=0.14; I² 96.8%) and 12 months (WMD +0.13 IU/l, 95% CI -1.06 to 1.32, p=0.83; I² 55.2%) post-RAI compared with baseline (two studies; n=83). No data were available for antral follicle count.

CONCLUSIONS

AMH concentrations are decreased at three months and remain low at 6 and 12 months following RAI treatment in women with DTC. No difference in FSH concentrations post-RAI is observed.

Outdoor air pollution and diminished ovarian reserve among infertile Korean women

Background

Mounting evidence implicates an association between ambient air pollution and impaired reproductive potential of human. Our study aimed to assess the association between air pollution and ovarian reserve in young, infertile women.

Methods

Our study included 2276 Korean women who attended a single fertility center in 2016–2018. Women’s exposure to air pollution was assessed using concentrations of particulate matter (PM₁₀ and PM_2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), and ozone (O₃) that had been collected at 269 air quality monitoring sites. Exposure estimates were computed for 1, 3, 6, and 12 months prior to the ovarian reserve tests. Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) ratio (defined as an observed-to-expected AMH based on age) and low AMH (defined as < 0.5 ng/mL) were employed as indicators of ovarian reserve. We included a clustering effect of 177 districts in generalized estimating equations approach. A secondary analysis was conducted restricting the analyses to Seoul residents to examine the association in highly urbanized setting.

Results

The mean age was 36.6 ± 4.2 years and AMH level was 3.3 ± 3.1 ng/mL in the study population. Average AMH ratio was 0.8 ± 0.7 and low AMH was observed in 10.3% of women (n=235). The average concentration of six air pollutants was not different between the normal ovarian reserve and low AMH groups for all averaging periods. In multivariable models, an interquartile range (IQR)-increase in 1 month-average PM₁₀ was associated with decrease in AMH ratio among total population (β= −0.06, 95% confidence interval: −0.11, 0.00). When we restrict our analysis to those living in Seoul, IQR-increases in 1 and 12 month-average PM_2.5 were associated with 3% (95% CI: −0.07, 0.00) and 10% (95% CI: −0.18, −0.01) decrease in AMH ratio. The ORs per IQR increase in the six air pollutants were close to null in total population and Seoul residents.

Conclusions

In a cohort of infertile Korean women, there was a suggestive evidence of the negative association between ambient PM concentration and ovarian reserve, highlighting the potential adverse impact of air pollution on women’s fertility.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12199-021-00942-4.

Serum anti-Mullerian hormone, prolactin and estradiol concentrations in infertile women with endometriosis

OBJECTIVE

Endometriosis is a benign gynecological disease, which significantly impairs fertility. However, the contribution of specific hormonal parameters to the proper diagnosis of endometriosis in infertility states has not been adequately determined. The aim of this study was to compare ant-Mullerian hormone (AMH), prolactin and estradiol concentrations between infertile women with and without endometriosis, as well as to estimate the effect of endometrioid heterotopia on ovarian reserve.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, mean baseline serum AMH, prolactin and estradiol levels were assessed in infertile women with and without endometriosis. Descriptive statistics are presented in the form of arithmetic mean ± standard deviation (SD). The comparison of indicators was performed by using parametric (t-test) and non-parametric criteria (Mann-Whitney).

RESULTS

Seventy-two infertile women with endometriosis (group A; mean age: 32 ± 4.3 years) and 77 infertile women without endometriosis (group B; mean age: 32.4 ± 3.7 years) were studied. Mean baseline prolactin concentrations were higher in group A (16.9 ± 5.7 ng/mL) compared with group B (15 ± 4.3 ng/mL; p = .023), whereas mean AMH concentrations were lower (2.8 ± 1.9 ng/mL and 3.5 ± 1.8 ng/mL, respectively; p = .018). The highest prolactin and the lowest AMH concentrations were found in women with ovarian endometriomas than in those with deep infiltrative endometriosis and adenomyosis. There was no difference in estradiol levels between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Infertile women with endometriosis demonstrated higher prolactin and lower AMH concentrations, compared with infertile women without endometriosis. The highest prolactin and the lowest AMH concentrations were observed in patients with ovarian endometriomas.

Importance of Sensitive Vascular Measurements for Evaluating Effects of Lifestyle in Premenopausal Women

Premenopausal women generally have a favorable cardiovascular risk profile, owing to young age and the protective effects of estrogen. Rates of hypertension and more advanced cardiovascular disease (CVD) are low in premenopausal women. A large body of epidemiological evidence has shown that lifestyle behaviors in midlife, i.e., cardiorespiratory fitness, physical activity, and healthy diet, are associated with lower risk of overt CVD and adverse cardiovascular outcomes in the future for men and women. Despite differences in future cardiovascular risk, brachial blood pressures might be similar between premenopausal women with favorable vs. unfavorable levels of lifestyle behaviors in early-to-mid-life. Here we make the case for deeper phenotyping by means of vascular function measurements, such as arterial stiffness, augmentation index, and endothelial function, to identify potential mechanistic pathways linking lifestyle behaviors in early-to-mid-adulthood with lifelong CVD risk in women. We describe considerations for vascular function measurement in premenopausal women and opportunities for investigators to fill in knowledge gaps to further our understanding of CVD risk assessment and CVD progression in premenopausal women.

Breastfeeding is associated with lower subclinical atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women

Objective: To evaluate the association between a personal history of lactation and indices of subclinical atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women.Methods: We evaluated the association between a history of breastfeeding and indices of subclinical atherosclerosis (pulse wave velocity, PWV; intima-media thickness [IMT]; atherosclerotic plaque presence) in 197 parous postmenopausal women with history of breastfeeding.Results: Women who reported breastfeeding ≥6 months when compared with women who reported breastfeeding for 1-5 months exhibited significantly lower values of common carotid artery IMT (Model R²=15.7%, b-coefficient = -0.170, 95% CI: -0.208-0.001, p-value = .019) and lower odds of subclinical atherosclerosis (Model X²=28.127, OR = 0.491, 95% CI 0.318-0.999, p-value = .049), adjusting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors.Conclusions: Postmenopausal women with a history of breastfeeding for at least 6 months have a lower prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis, independently of traditional cardiovascular risk factors. A longer duration of breastfeeding may have a beneficial effect on subclinical atherosclerosis later in life.