Recombinant Human Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Alfa Dose Adjustment in US Clinical Practice: An Observational, Retrospective Analysis of a Real-World Electronic Medical Records Database

PURPOSE: To determine the pattern of dose adjustment of recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone alfa (r-hFSH-alfa) during ovarian stimulation (OS) for assisted reproductive technology (ART) in a real-world setting. METHODS: This was an observational, retrospective analysis of data from an electronic de-identified medical records database including 39 clinics in the USA. Women undergoing OS for ART (initiated 2009–2016) with r-hFSH-alfa (Gonal-f(®) or Gonal-f RFF Redi-ject(®)) were included. Assessed outcomes were patients’ baseline characteristics and dosing characteristics/cycle. RESULTS: Of 33,962 ART cycles, 13,823 (40.7%) underwent dose adjustments: 23.4% with ≥1 dose increase, 25.4% with ≥1 dose decrease, and 8.1% with ≥1 increase and ≥1 decrease. Patients who received dose adjustments were younger (mean [SD] age 34.8 [4.58] years versus 35.9 [4.60] years, p<0.0001) and had lower BMI (25.1 [5.45] kg/m(2) versus 25.5 [5.45] kg/m(2), p<0.0001) than those who received a constant dose. The proportion of patients with non-normal ovarian reserve was 38.4% for those receiving dose adjustment versus 51.9% for those with a constant dose. The mean (SD) number of dose changes/cycle was 1.61 (0.92) for cycles with any dose adjustment, 1.72 (1.03) for cycles with ≥1 dose increase, 2.77 (1.00) for cycles with ≥1 dose increase and ≥1 decrease (n=2,755), and 1.88 (1.03) for cycles with ≥1 dose decrease. CONCLUSIONS: Dose adjustment during OS is common in clinical practice in the USA and occurred more often in younger versus older patients, those with a high versus non-normal ovarian reserve or those with ovulation disorders/polycystic ovary syndrome versus other primary diagnoses of infertility.