Key words
Anti-Müllerian hormone - AMH - fluctuation - ovarian reserve - variation - measurement
Schlüsselwörter
Anti-Müller-Hormon - AMH - Fluktuation - ovarielle Reserve - Variation - Messung
Introduction
A reliable assessment of ovarian reserve status is essential when designing strategies
for individualized controlled ovarian stimulation, not only for poor- and hyper-responders,
but also for women of more advanced age and women who want to delay their pregnancy
for numerous reasons. Fertility preservation is an emerging field that encompasses
a range of fertility therapies for women facing circumstances that threaten their
future reproductive outcomes. Consequently, the assessment of ovarian reserve has
become an important aspect of fertility preservation strategies [1], [2].
In the current body of literature, various markers of ovarian reserve have been described,
including age, estradiol (E2), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), inhibin B, antral
follicle count (AFC), and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels [3], [4], [5]. Currently, AMH and AFC are thought to be efficient and equivalent predictors, especially
in women at the extremes of ovarian reserve status [6], [7], [8], [9]. In daily clinical practice, the choice of ovarian reserve marker depends on several
variables, including the clinicʼs organization, the clinicianʼs preference, and a
number of specific patient characteristics.
Recently, AFC has been reported to be one of the most accepted predictors for evaluating
ovarian reserve [10], [11]. Many studies have demonstrated that an AFC < 7 is associated with fewer retrieved
oocytes [12] and lower pregnancy rates [13]. Moreover, an AFC value of more than 19 may indicate an excessive ovarian response
to controlled ovarian stimulation and an increased likelihood of ovarian hyperstimulation
syndrome [14].
AMH is a unique glycoprotein released by the granulosa cells of small growing follicles.
AMH expression is initiated by the recruitment of primordial follicles; the highest
level of AMH expression is observed in pre-antral and small antral follicles. During
the FSH-dependent stages of follicle growth and in atretic follicles, AMH is not secreted
into the circulation [15]. Unlike FSH levels, AMH expression has only mild intra- and inter-cycle fluctuations
[16], [17], [18]. Although previous studies reported a low variability in AMH levels during the menstrual
cycle [18], [19], [20], [21], more recent studies reported a decrease in AMH levels in the luteal phase of menstruation
[26], [27]. Hence, in clinical practice, practitioners have asked whether the measurement of
AMH concentrations in serum should be preferably carried out at a specific time in
the menstrual cycle.
The present study aimed to investigate AMH fluctuations during the follicular and
luteal phases of the menstrual cycle and to determine whether variations in AMH levels,
if present, might influence the clinical utility of ovarian reserve markers.
Materials and Methods
Study design
This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Reproductive Endocrinology Department
of Hitit University Hospital between 1 February 2015 and 20 December 2015. The ethics
committee of Ankara Numune Hospital approved this project in accordance with the 2013
Declaration of Helsinki (20796219-724.087). After obtaining the informed consent of
patients, women ranging in age from 18 to 38 were given a questionnaire to identify
their eligibility for inclusion in the study.
Exclusion criteria were gestation, breastfeeding, premature ovarian insufficiency,
current medication use, interventions and systemic diseases known to affect reproductive
functions, hyperprolactinemia, ovarian surgery, hysterectomy and/or oophorectomy,
endometriosis, ovarian masses, severe obesity (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 35 kg/m2), and smoking. A level of midluteal progesterone > 3 ng/dL was taken in all participants
to be an indicator of ovulation.
All participants underwent a physical examination, and weight, height and waist circumference
(WC) measurements were obtained from all participating patients. Body mass index (BMI)
was calculated by dividing the weight in kilograms by the height in meters squared.
WC measurements were obtained at the level of the iliac process and the umbilicus,
with the same scale used to assess abdominal obesity. During routine pelvic evaluation,
AFC was evaluated using ultrasonography (Toshiba Xario 100, Toshiba Medical Systems
Corporation, Nasu, Japan) with a 7.5-MHz vaginal transducer; ultrasonography was carried
out by the same clinician on days 2 – 5 of the menstrual cycle.
A total of 257 infertile women eligible for inclusion were categorized into three
groups, based on their total AFC, an ovarian response pattern marker, as follows:
-
hypo-response group (< 7 follicles, n = 66),
-
normo-response group (7 – 19 follicles, n = 98), and
-
hyper-response group (> 19 follicles, n = 93).
Specimen collection and assays
After an overnight fast, blood samples were drawn from the participants between the
hours of 08:00 and 10:00 on days 2 – 5 of their menstrual cycle to obtain follicular
AMH (F-AMH), E2 and FSH values. Blood samples were also drawn one week before the
expected onset of menstruation to obtain luteal AMH (L-AMH) values in the same menstrual
cycle. The blood samples were left to clot completely at room temperature for 30 min
before centrifugation at 1500 × g for 4 min. The serum specimens for E2 and FSH were
analyzed daily by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) using an autoanalyzer
(Cobas 6000, E 601 Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Mannheim, Germany). The sera for both follicular
and luteal AMH were frozen at − 20 °C within 2 h for a maximum of one week. All assays
of serum samples to measure AMH levels were also carried out according to a weekly
schedule in accordance with the manufacturerʼs guidelines and using the AMH Gen II
enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) from Beckman Coulter (Beckman Coulter, Co.
Clare, Ireland).
Statistical analysis
All data were analyzed using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) version
21 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Continuous variables were first evaluated using
the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test for normality distribution. Because continuous variables
were not normally distributed, non-parametric tests were used for statistical analysis.
Descriptive data are given as mean (± standard deviation) and figures (%). Data from
the three AFC groups were compared using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with
post-hoc analysis. Spearmanʼs correlation was used to determine if there was any linear
relationship between AMH levels and other study variables. The correlation coefficients
were compared using Fisherʼs Z-test. A p-value < 0.05 and a confidence interval of
95% were considered statistically significant.
Results
Baseline clinical and biochemical characteristics
A total of 257 infertile women were included in this study. The comparisons of clinical
and biochemical characteristics of all ovarian response groups are presented in [Table 1]. Based on their AFC categorization, the mean age of the hypo-responder group was
35.5 (± 3.1) years; the normo-responder and hyper-responder groups had mean ages of
28.3 (± 5.0) and 27.6 (± 4.7), respectively (p < 0.001). Characteristics such as BMI,
WC, and duration of infertility were statistically similar for the hypo-, normo-,
and hyper-response groups (p = 0.879, p = 0.738, and p = 0.318, respectively).
Table 1 Comparison of clinical and biochemical characteristics of all ovarian response groups.
|
Ovarian response groups
|
|
|
Hypo-responders
AFC < 7 (n = 66, 25.7%)
|
Normo-responders
AFC 7 – 19 (n = 98, 38.1%)
|
Hyper-responders
AFC > 19 (n = 93, 36.2%)
|
p
|
Values are shown as mean (± standard deviation). BMI: body mass index; WC: waist circumference;
F-AMH: follicular anti-Müllerian hormone; L-AMH: luteal anti-Müllerian hormone; E2:
estradiol; FSH: follicular stimulating hormone; AFC: antral follicle count.
* p-value is statistically significant (p < 0.05).
|
Age (years)
|
35.5 (± 3.1)
|
28.3 (± 5.0)
|
27.6 (± 4.7)
|
< 0.001*
|
BMI (kg/m2)
|
26.3 (± 4.1)
|
26.4 (± 5.5)
|
26.0 (± 4.9)
|
0.879
|
WC (cm)
|
90.9 (± 9.5)
|
89.0 (± 12.2)
|
90.0 (± 15.5)
|
0.738
|
Duration of infertility (weeks)
|
52.7 (± 56.4)
|
45.3 (± 42.3)
|
39.4 (± 36.2)
|
0.318
|
E2 (pg/mL)
|
53.5 (± 31.4)
|
42.5 (± 20.5)
|
39.7 (± 22.0)
|
0.065
|
FSH (IU/L)
|
9.0 (± 2.7)
|
6.8 (± 1.2)
|
6.3 (± 2.0)
|
< 0.001*
|
F-AMH (ng/dL)
|
1.3 (± 1.7)
|
3.4 (± 1.8)
|
7.3 (± 4.6)
|
< 0.001*
|
L-AMH (ng/dL)
|
1.1 (± 1.2)
|
2.63 (± 1.63)
|
5.95 (± 3.54)
|
< 0.001*
|
AFC
|
6.0 (± 1.5)
|
12.51 (± 3.46)
|
28.03 (± 3.78)
|
< 0.001*
|
With regard to biochemical characteristics, there was no difference in mean E2 levels
for all three groups (p = 0.065). As could be expected, the hypo-responder group had
a higher FSH concentration (p < 0.001) compared to the other ovarian response groups,
and the mean AFC was higher in the hyper-responder group in comparison to the other
ovarian response groups (p < 0.001). Mean follicular and luteal AMH levels were found
to be elevated in hyper-responder women (p < 0.001, for all groups).
AMH levels in the respective ovarian response groups
Comparisons of serum AMH concentrations during the follicular and luteal phases of
the menstrual cycle and comparisons between the three response groups are presented
in [Table 2]. Significant differences were found in the F-AMH and L-AMH levels of women in the
hypo-, normo- and hyper-response groups (p < 0.001, for all groups). The mean F-AMH
levels in all response groups were elevated compared to the mean F-AMH levels in the
luteal phase (p < 0.001).
Table 2 Comparison of AMH measurements obtained in the follicular and luteal phases in the
ovarian response groups.
|
All subjects (n = 171, 100%)
|
Hypo-responders
AFC < 7 (n = 66, 25.7%)
|
Normo-responders
AFC 7 – 19 (n = 98, 38.1%)
|
Hyper-responders
AFC > 19 (n = 93, 36.2%)
|
p-value
|
Values are shown as mean (± standard deviation). F-AMH: follicular anti-Müllerian
hormone; L-AMH: luteal anti-Müllerian hormone; AFC: antral follicle count.
* p-value is statistically significant (p < 0.05).
|
F-AMH
|
4.3 (± 3.9)
|
1.3 (± 1.7)
|
3.4 (± 1.8)
|
7.3 (± 4.6)
|
< 0.001*
|
L-AMH
|
3.5 (± 3.1)
|
1.1 (± 1.2)
|
2.6 (± 1.6)
|
6.0 (± 3.5)
|
< 0.001*
|
Spearmanʼs correlation (r)
|
0.928
|
0.852
|
0.836
|
0.899
|
|
p-value
|
< 0.001*
|
< 0.001*
|
< 0.001*
|
< 0.001*
|
|
Correlations of biochemical parameters in the ovarian reserve groups
[Table 3] shows the correlation matrix for the biochemical parameters of each ovarian response
group. There were significant and strong positive correlations between follicular
AMH levels and luteal AMH levels of women in the hypo-, normo-, and hyper-response
groups (Spearmanʼs r = 0.822, r = 0.836, and r = 0.899, respectively; p < 0.001 for
all groups). However, as shown in [Table 4], Fisherʼs Z-test comparisons of these correlations in all response groups demonstrated
that there was no statistically significant difference (Z = 0.277, Z = − 1.001, and
Z = − 1.425, respectively; p < 0.001 for all groups). In other words, the differences
in the correlation coefficients of all ovarian response groups were statistically
similar for all ovarian response groups.
Table 3 Correlation matrix for the biochemical parameters of all ovarian response groups.
Ovarian response groups
|
|
F-AMH
|
L-AMH
|
E2
|
FSH
|
Values are shown as Spearmanʼs correlation coefficients (r). F-AMH: follicular anti-Müllerian
hormone; L-AMH: luteal anti-Müllerian hormone; E2: estradiol; FSH: follicular stimulating
hormone; AFC: antral follicle count.
* p-value is statistically significant (p < 0.05).
|
Hypo-responders
AFC < 7 (n = 66, 25.7%)
|
F-AMH
|
1.000
|
|
|
|
L-AMH
|
0.852*
|
1.000
|
|
|
E2
|
0.210
|
0.164
|
1.000
|
|
FSH
|
− 0.241
|
− 0.258
|
− 0.229
|
1.000
|
Normo-responders
AFC 7 – 19 (n = 98, 38.1%)
|
F-AMH
|
1.000
|
|
|
|
L-AMH
|
0.836*
|
1.000
|
|
|
E2
|
− 0.035
|
− 0.061
|
1.000
|
|
FSH
|
− 0.020
|
− 0.155
|
− 0.130
|
1.000
|
Hyper-responders
AFC > 19 (n = 93, 36.2%)
|
F-AMH
|
1.000
|
|
|
|
L-AMH
|
0.899*
|
1.000
|
|
|
E2
|
− 0.210
|
− 0.202
|
1.000
|
|
FSH
|
0.022
|
0.037
|
− 0.087
|
1.000
|
Table 4 Comparisons of correlation coefficients between all ovarian response groups.
|
Correlation coefficients
|
Comparison of hypo- and normo-responders
|
Comparison of hypo- and hyper-responders
|
Comparison of normo- and hyper-responders
|
Values are shown as Spearmanʼs correlation coefficient (r) and Fisherʼs Z-values.
AFC: antral follicle count.
* p-value is statistically significant (p < 0.05).
|
Hypo-responders
AFC < 7 (n = 66, 25.7%)
|
r = 0,852*
Z = 1.26
|
Z = 0.277
p > 0.01
|
Z = − 1.001
p > 0.01
|
Z = − 1.425
p > 0.01
|
Normo-responders
AFC 7 – 19 (n = 98, 38.1%)
|
r = 0,836*
Z = 1.21
|
Hyper-responders
AFC > 19 (n = 93, 36.2%)
|
r = 0,899*
Z = 1.47
|
Discussion
Our study mainly focused on whether serum AMH levels exhibit any variability throughout
the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle in infertile women with different
ovarian response patterns and whether AMH variation, if present, might have an impact
on clinical practice with regard to the timing of AMH measurement. Our evidence revealed
that mean AMH concentrations in the follicular phase were markedly elevated compared
to mean L-AMH concentrations in the hypo-, normo-, and hyper-response groups. F-AMH
and L-AMH were also strongly and positively correlated in all three groups. There
was no statistically significant difference with regard to correlation in all response
groups.
As previously emphasized, the existing literature has provided no consistent information
about intracyclic AMH variation. La Marca et al. [24] performed AMH measurements independently of the day of the menstrual cycle; in their
study, they noted that serum AMH levels did not differ across the menstrual cycle.
Other investigators reported similar findings [18], [19]. Some researchers have thought that either no AMH variation occurs during the menstrual
cycle or that the variation is minimal [25], [26]. In contrast, we have concluded that AMH fluctuates greatly across the menstrual
cycle.
Numerous studies have investigated intracyclic AMH variations during the menstrual
cycle. Although there are discrepancies in previous studies with regard to the timing
of serum AMH concentrations, extreme values during the menstrual cycle, the pattern
of variation, and the statistical significance, some degree of variation in AMH levels
between different phases of the menstrual cycle has been reported [26]. In other published studies, a peak AMH level was observed in the mid-follicular
phase; AMH levels then started to decline prior to a rise in serum E2 and reached
their nadir in the early luteal phase [25], [27]. In a recent study by Randolph et al., a biphasic pattern with an elevation and
depression in both the follicular and the luteal phases was found in healthy premenopausal
women [28]. Others have reported that serum AMH rises steadily and then declines during the
entire luteal phase in premenopausal women. Hadlow et al. also investigated AMH fluctuations
in infertile women. In line with our results, the authors reported that the mean AMH
concentration was significantly depressed in the luteal phase of menstruation [22].
In a study by Sowers et al. with a very small sample size (n = 20), serum AMH levels
were shown to fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle [23]. Women with low AMH levels had small fluctuations, while women with high AMH levels
exhibited relatively high fluctuations throughout the menstrual cycle. The authors
described the fluctuating AMH levels as “aging ovary” and “younger ovary” patterns
[25]. The same younger ovary pattern was also reported by Wunder et al. [25]. In contrast, we did not observe that pattern of variation in our study. In fact,
all ovarian response groups exhibited significant variations in AMH levels in different
phases of the menstrual cycle.
The reliability of the findings reported in previous studies on AMH fluctuations may
be influenced by inappropriate sample processing and storage. Therefore, those findings
should be considered critically. Numerous studies in the existing literature have
reported findings on AMH variability utilizing AMH samples frozen at − 80 °C. However,
Kumar et al. reported only minimal variation in samples when frozen at − 20 °C for
a period of seven days [29]. The most significant fluctuations appeared to occur when entire blood samples were
kept at room temperature for a long period of time. Some authors have proposed that
the average variation between fresh samples and samples stored for 7 days at room
temperature was nearly 4%, and that it was 1% in frozen samples [29]. At present, the discrepancies in existing studies may be explained by variations
in serum sample collection, processing and storage [30]. Consequently, our study was done using an optimal methodology based on current
evidence.
La Marca et al. published a review on AMH variations in normal women [16]. The authors stated that fluctuations in AMH levels throughout the menstrual cycle
appear to be random and minor, and that AMH can be measured independently of the cycle
phase. They also criticized a study by Hadlow et al., declaring that the study was
based on a very small group of subjects (n = 12) [26]. However, our study was conducted with a greater number of participants (n = 257).
We also demonstrated a substantial fluctuation in AMH levels across the menstrual
cycle in contrast to the review by La Marca et al [16]. It appears that AMH fluctuations are similarly clinically relevant for women with
all types of ovarian response.
While real ovarian reserve does not vary throughout a natural cycle or between consecutive
cycles of menstruation, the serum AMH level fluctuates, presumably due to biological
variations and atypical AMH isoforms [31]. AMH that may be partially responsive to gonadotropins may also contribute to a
variety of biological variations [32]. It has also been reported that gonadotropins may participate in stimulating the
gonadotropin-dependent follicles and the AMH level [33]. Depmann et al. stated that variations in peripheral AMH levels throughout the menstrual
cycle occur in parallel with AFC variations. This implies that intracyclic AMH variations
may be due to changes in the number of antral follicles [34].
One strength of this study is that the study population consisted of infertile women,
because the assessment of ovarian reserve is considered to be essential for predicting
controlled ovarian stimulation in infertile women. Another strength is that a relatively
large number of participants were included in the study. A major limitation of the
study is the limited number of AMH measurements obtained throughout the menstrual
cycle (only two measurements).
In conclusion, our study revealed significant fluctuations in serum AMH levels between
the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle. Serum AMH levels in the follicular
phase were higher than those in the luteal phase in infertile women with hypo-, normo-,
and hyper-response patterns. However, these AMH fluctuations were not statistically
significant, so it was not possible to propose an optimal time for AMH measurement.
The fluctuations in serum AMH concentrations observed in our study were not large
enough to modify the timing of AMH measurement during the menstrual cycle in current
clinical practice. The statistically significant changes during the menstrual cycle
support the need for a greater understanding of potential AMH changes in normal follicles.
Most importantly, the issue may play a critical role in the assessment of ovarian
reserve in infertile women with an AMH level that is near the cut-off value. Thus,
further largescale prospective studies and meta-analyses are warranted to determine
the optimal time for AMH measurement.