A second dose of kisspeptin-54 improves oocyte maturation in women at high risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome: a Phase 2 randomized controlled trial

STUDY QUESTION: Can increasing the duration of LH-exposure with a second dose of kisspeptin-54 improve oocyte maturation in women at high risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS)? SUMMARY ANSWER: A second dose of kisspeptin-54 at 10 h following the first improves oocyte yield in women at high risk of OHSS. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Kisspeptin acts at the hypothalamus to stimulate the release of an endogenous pool of GnRH from the hypothalamus. We have previously reported that a single dose of kisspeptin-54 results in an LH-surge of ~12–14 h duration, which safely triggers oocyte maturation in women at high risk of OHSS. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: Phase-2 randomized placebo-controlled trial of 62 women at high risk of OHSS recruited between August 2015 and May 2016. Following controlled ovarian stimulation, all patients (n = 62) received a subcutaneous injection of kisspeptin-54 (9.6 nmol/kg) 36 h prior to oocyte retrieval. Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive either a second dose of kisspeptin-54 (D; Double, n = 31), or saline (S; Single, n = 31) 10 h thereafter. Patients, embryologists, and IVF clinicians remained blinded to the dosing allocation. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: Study participants: Sixty-two women aged 18–34 years at high risk of OHSS (antral follicle count ≥23 or anti-Mullerian hormone level ≥40 pmol/L). Setting: Single centre study carried out at Hammersmith Hospital IVF unit, London, UK. Primary outcome: Proportion of patients achieving an oocyte yield (percentage of mature oocytes retrieved from follicles ≥14 mm on morning of first kisspeptin-54 trigger administration) of at least 60%. Secondary outcomes: Reproductive hormone levels, implantation rate and OHSS occurrence. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: A second dose of kisspeptin-54 at 10 h following the first induced further LH-secretion at 4 h after administration. A higher proportion of patients achieved an oocyte yield ≥60% following a second dose of kisspeptin-54 (Single: 14/31, 45%, Double: 21/31, 71%; absolute difference +26%, CI 2–50%, P = 0.042). Patients receiving two doses of kisspeptin-54 had a variable LH-response following the second kisspeptin dose, which appeared to be dependent on the LH-response following the first kisspeptin injection. Patients who had a lower LH-rise following the first dose of kisspeptin had a more substantial ‘rescue’ LH-response following the second dose of kisspeptin. The variable LH-response following the second dose of kisspeptin resulted in a greater proportion of patients achieving an oocyte yield ≥60%, but without also increasing the frequency of ovarian over-response and moderate OHSS (Single: 1/31, 3.2%, Double: 0/31, 0%). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: Further studies are warranted to directly compare kisspeptin-54 to more established triggers of oocyte maturation. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Triggering final oocyte maturation with kisspeptin is a novel therapeutic option to enable the use of fresh embryo transfer even in the woman at high risk of OHSS. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): The study was designed, conducted, analysed and reported entirely by the authors. The Medical Research Council (MRC), Wellcome Trust & National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) provided research funding to carry out the studies. There are no competing interests to declare. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Clinicaltrial.gov identifier NCT01667406 TRIAL REGISTRATION DATE: 8 August 2012. DATE OF FIRST PATIENT'S ENROLMENT: 10 August 2015.