PGT-A Evaluates Advanced Sperm Selection in Embryos From High Teratozoospermia Males

January 29, 2024 updated by: Mohamed Nasreldin Abdelmagied Ali, Ganin Fertility Center

Next Generation Sequencing of Embryos for Testing the Efficacy of Advanced Sperm Selection Techniques in Males With High Teratozoospermia Index

In this study of 264 couples, sperm selection techniques in males with high teratozoospermia index and sperm DNA fragmentation significantly increased fertilization, blastocyst development rates, and maintained comparable embryo euploidy rates through preimplantation genetic testing, suggesting the efficiency of these techniques in improving assisted reproductive outcomes.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Couples seeking infertility treatment are becoming more frequent. Paternal factor shows one of the infertility causes which may have a negative impact on reproductive outcomes. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is thought to be the most effective way to treat infertility. Sperm morphology evaluation is a reliable predictor of male fertility while teratozoospermia index (TZI) is a unique expression of sperm morphological assessment. A higher rate of abnormal sperm morphology tends to have higher sperm chromosomal abnormality rates. The choice of high-quality sperm through sperm selection techniques is expected to improve ICSI outcomes. In this study, a total number of 264 couples were included and divided into 3 groups: (1) Males have normal TZI (Control group: 111 males have TZI <1.6), (2) Males with high TZI and no sperm selection techniques are performed (NO-SS group: 63 males have TZI >1.8), and (3) Males with high TZI and sperm selection techniques are performed (SS-group: 90 males have TZI >1.8). The TZI was significantly (P<0.000) higher in the NO-SS and SS-group as compared to the control group. The percentage of sperm DNA fragmentation SDF in the males of the SS group was significantly higher than the controls and NO-SS group (P=0.000). The fertilization (P=0. 039) and blastocyst development rates (P= 0. 041) are significantly higher in the SS group as compared to the NO-SS group in females aged <35. A total of 1072 embryos were tested for preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy using NGS, although higher SDF in the males of the SS group, the embryo euploidy rates show that there is no significant difference between the SS group (56.35±3.46%) as compared to the control group (54.54±3.24%) and the NO-SS group (57.45±4.57%). In general, we found that sperm selection techniques are efficient techniques in increasing fertilization, blastocyst development rates, and euploidy rate in males with high teratozoospermia index and sperm DNA fragmentation combined.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
264

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Egypt
    • Maadi
      • Cairo, Maadi, Egypt, 11728
        • Ganin Fertility Center

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Males diagnosed with normal and high teratozoospermia index.
  2. Males with Mild to moderate OTA (oligoteratoasthenozoospermia).
  3. Males aged 18-60 years.
  4. Female aged 18-40 years.
  5. Case must have PGT-A for all of her blastocysts.
  6. Normo responder (> 5 mature oocytes).
  7. Male will have to refrain from ejaculation no less than 1 day but no greater than 3 days prior semen specimen production on day of ICSI.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Leukocytospermia.
  2. Presence of varicocele.
  3. Known genetic abnormality.
  4. Use of sperm or oocyte donors.
  5. Use of gestational carrier.
  6. Presence of any of the endometrial factors that affect embryo implantation such as hydrosalpings, adenomyosis or previous uterine infection.
  7. Any contradictions to undergoing in vitro fertilization or gonadotropin stimulation.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
No Intervention: Control
111 Males have normal Teratozoospermia index (TZI) less than 1.6. Semen processing is done by double layer density gradient method only.
Experimental: Sperm selection group PICSI or MACS (SS-Group)

90 Males with high TZI and sperm selection techniques such as PICSI or MACS are performed. Semen processing is done by double layer density gradient method followed by:

(1) In case of PICSI: adding Sperm to the dot of hyaluronan on the PICSI dish, within minutes the bound sperm are attached by their acrosome to the surface of the dot. Individual bound sperm selection is done followed by ICSI.

or (2) In case of MACS: Semen processing is done by double layer density gradient method. The resulted pellet is labeled with annexin V microbeads followed by separation on MACS Column, the eluted fraction contains non apoptotic sperm suitable for ICSI.
Device: Sperm Selection
Sperm selection using physiological intracytoplasmic sperm injection (PICSI dish) or magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) for selecting sperm with high-quality, better morphology and lower DNA fragmentation.
No Intervention: No sperm selection group (NO SS-Group)
63 Males with high TZI more than 1.8 and no sperm selection techniques are performed. Semen processing is done by double layer density gradient method only.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Euploidy rate
Time Frame: 15 days post ICSI
Defined as the proportion of euploid blastocysts
15 days post ICSI
Aneuploidy rate
Time Frame: 15 days post ICSI
Defined as the proportion of aneuploid blastocysts
15 days post ICSI
Fertilization rate
Time Frame: 1 day
Defined as the proportion of fertilizaed oocytes
1 day
Blastocyst development rate
Time Frame: 5-6 days
Defined as the proportion of blastocysts formed on day 5 or 6
5-6 days

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Low mosaic rate
Time Frame: 15 days post ICSI
Defined as the proportion of low mosaic blastocysts
15 days post ICSI
High mosaic rate
Time Frame: 15 days post ICSI
Defined as the proportion of high mosaic blastocysts
15 days post ICSI
Blastocyst quality rate
Time Frame: 5-6 days
Defined as the assessment of blastocyst quality according to Gardner's criteria into: good, fair or poor
5-6 days

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Ganin Fertility Center

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Study Director: Hosam Zaki, MSc, FRCOG, Ganin Fertility Center
  • Study Chair: Mohamed Nasreldin, MSc., Ganin Fertility Center
  • Principal Investigator: Hanan Ramadan, PhD, Cairo University
  • Principal Investigator: Maiada Moustafa, PhD, Helwan University
  • Principal Investigator: Mohamed Abas, MBB, Cairo University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
January 1, 2023

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
September 1, 2023

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
September 1, 2023

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
January 21, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 29, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
January 30, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
January 30, 2024

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 29, 2024

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
January 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • GFC-008

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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