Results of ovulation induction using human menopausal gonadotropin or purified follicle-stimulating hormone in hypogonadotropic hypogonadism patients.

OBJECTIVE: To compare ovarian performance and hormonal levels, after ovulation induction, in patients with isolated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, using two different gonadotropin drugs. DESIGN: Patients were treated during consecutive cycles, using the same stimulation protocol, with human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) in the first treatment cycle and purified follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in the second one. SETTING: Specialist Reproductive Endocrine Unit. PATIENTS, PARTICIPANTS: Nine patients with isolated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Duration of stimulation, number of leading follicles, serum estradiol (E2) concentration and endometrial thickness at the time of human chorionic gonadotropin administration, and the occurrence of ovulation. RESULTS: Compared with hMG, treatment with purified FSH required significantly more ampules of drug (P less than 0.04) but resulted in a significant reduction in the number of leading follicles (P less than 0.05), serum E2 concentrations (P less than 0.002), endometrial thickness (P less than 0.02) and the occurrence of ovulation (P less than 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study in isolated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism patients is consistent with the two-cell two-gonadotropin hypothesis, that both gonadotropins are required to accommodate their synergistic action for appropriate steroidogenesis. In treating this group of patients, the superior efficacy of hMG compared with purified FSH preparation is beyond question.