ORIGINAL RESEARCH

Elemental composition of blood of infertile patients participating in assisted reproduction programs

About authors

Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, Moscow, Russia

Correspondence should be addressed: Anastasia G. Syrkasheva
Akademika Oparina, 4, Moscow, 117997; ur.4anirapo@avehsakrys_a

About paper

Author contribution: Syrkasheva AG — conducting the clinical stage of the study, statistical processing of data, article authoring; Frankevich VE — conducting mass spectrometric studies; Dolgushina NV — article authoring, final review.

Compliance with ethical standards: the study was approved by the ethics committee of the V.I. Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology (Minutes #10 of October 20, 2016).

Received: 2021-02-10 Accepted: 2021-02-28 Published online: 2021-02-28
|

The association between levels of trace elements, endocrine diseases and reproductive impairments is actively investigated currently. In this connection, it seems relevant to study elemental status (elemental composition of blood and amounts of elements therein) of infertile patients enlisted in programs employing assisted reproductive technologies (ART). This study aimed to analyze trace elements in blood of infertile patients, relationship between the level of such trace elements and parameters of the ART programs they are in. The study included 30 infertile patients aged 18–39 years. Relying on inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, we identified concentrations of 31 chemical element in blood of the participants. Two elements out of 31 (antimony and beryllium) were not found in any blood sample; 10 elements (titanium, chromium, cobalt, nickel, arsenic, mercury, barium, gold, vanadium) were detected in some blood samples, the remaining 19 elements were found in all samples. Age of the patients correlated negatively with the level of silicon (r = –0.384; p = 0.036) and positively with the level of molybdenum (r = 0.384; p = 0.036). The level of anti-mullerian hormone was in a significant negative correlation with the level of lithium (r = –0.367; p = 0.046). The level of free thyroxine was in a significant negative correlation with the level of boron (r = –0.402; p = 0.028) and a positively correlated with the levels of iron (r = 0.410; p = 0.024) and silver (r = 0.432; p = 0.017). Considering the embryological cycle, we noted a positive correlation between the level of silicon and the number of blastocysts obtained (r = 0.387; p = 0.034). There was no statistical relationship registered between elemental composition of blood the frequency of pregnancy in ART cycles.

Keywords: pregnancy, mass spectrometry, assisted reproductive technologies, embryos, heavy metals, trace elements, blood elemental status, AMH

КОММЕНТАРИИ (0)