br Materials and methods br Results shows

Materials and methods
Results shows serum FSH, LH, oestradiol and progesterone values in the two cycles from day 2 to day 10. Basal values of these hormones on day 2 (before any intervention) were similar in the two cycles. Thereafter, FSH values did not differ significantly between the two cycles at all time points except on day 3 (lower in AVE-1625 2; P = 0.025). The variance of FSH concentrations from day 2 until day 10 was similar in both cycles, i.e. there were no significant changes in either cycle 1 or cycle 2. Serum LH concentrations in cycle 2 were significantly lower than in cycle 1 on days 3 and 4 (P < 0.05) and on days 7 and 9 (P < 0.01). The variance of LH concentrations from day 2 until day 10 did not differ significantly between the two cycles. Although in cycle 1 LH values from days 2 to 9 showed a marginally significant increase (P = 0.05), they did not change significantly in cycle 2. Serum oestradiol concentrations were similar in the two cycles at all time points except on day 7 (P = 0.027) and day 10 (P = 0.043), when they were significantly lower in cycle 2. The variance of oestradiol values from day 2 until day 10 differed significantly between the two cycles (P = 0.036), i.e. oestradiol concentrations increased significantly in cycle 1 (P = 0.010), but showed no significant changes in cycle 2. Serum progesterone values did not change significantly from days 2 to 10 and were similar in the two cycles at all time points (). The variance of progesterone concentrations from day 2 to day 10 was similar in the two cycles. shows serum FSH, LH, oestradiol and progesterone concentrations normalized to the day of the LH surge onset in cycle 1 (day 0). The corresponding day in cycle 2 was the day of the last injection of ganirelix. Serum FSH values were significantly higher in cycle 2 on days –4, –3, –2 and –1 as compared with the corresponding values in cycle 1 (). The variance of FSH concentrations from day –4 to day did not differ significantly between the two cycles. There was a significant increase of FSH concentrations in cycle 1 (P = 0.008) but there were no significant changes in cycle 2. Serum LH concentrations on days –4, –2, –1 and were significantly lower in cycle 2 than in cycle 1. The variance of LH values from day –4 to day differed significantly between the two cycles (P = 0.006). Specifically, there was an increase in LH concentrations in cycle 1 (P < 0.001), but there were no changes in cycle 2 (). Serum oestradiol values on days –4, –3, –2, –1 and day () were significantly lower in cycle 2 as compared with the correspondin g values in cycle 1 (P < 0.05). The variance of oestradiol concentrations from day –4 to day differed significantly between the two cycles (P < 0.001). Specifically, there was a significant rise in oestradiol concentrations in cycle 1 (P < 0.001), whereas in cycle 2 there were no significant changes (). Serum progesterone values on day were significantly higher in cycle 1 than in cycle 2 (P = 0.005). However, a significant increase in progesterone values from day to day 1 and day 2 was found in cycle 1 (P = 0.009, ). The endogenous LH surge started in cycle 1 on average on day 15 (15.6 ± 1.03). Follicle size on day 8 was similar in both cycles. In cycle 1, follicle size increased significantly from day 8 to day 10 (P = 0.003), while in cycle 2 there was no significant change (). The apparent difference between the two cycles on day 10 almost reached significance (P = 0.057). Moreover, the growth of the follicle from day –4 to day differed significantly between the two cycles (P < 0.001). In particular, there was a significant increase in the size of the leading follicle in cycle 1 (P < 0.001), whereas in cycle 2 there was no alteration in follicle size until day 1 (). In cycle 1, ovulation was diagnosed by ultrasound and confirmed by serum progesterone measurement a week after the LH surge onset (14.2 ± 1.33 ng/ml). In cycle 2, an LH surge was detected 1 week from the last injection of the antagonist in six women and 2 weeks in two women (LH: 18.9 ± 2.14 mIU/ml, oestradiol: 184.8 ± 29.2 pg/ml), while 1 week later serum progesterone values confirmed ovulation (10.9 ± 1.3 ng/ml).