Beneficial effect of l-arginine in women using assisted reproductive technologies: a small-scale randomized controlled trial

2020 ◽  
Vol 82 ◽  
pp. 67-73
Author(s):  
Shuhei So ◽  
Wakasa Yamaguchi ◽  
Nao Murabayashi ◽  
Naomi Miyano ◽  
Fumiko Tawara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Beneficial Effect ◽  
Assisted Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Randomized Controlled

EndoART: A proposed randomized controlled trial on endometriomas in assisted reproductive technologies, comparing the effect of no intervention, surgery, and prolonged GnRH downregulation on pregnancy rates

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 158-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla Tomassetti ◽  
David Adamson ◽  
Aydin Arici ◽  
Michel Canis ◽  
Peter Hompes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Fetal Heart ◽  
Assisted Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Heart Beat ◽  
Pregnancy Rates ◽  
Clinical Pregnancy ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Ovarian Surgery

Background: Clinical management of endometriomas, prior to starting treatment with assisted reproductive technologies (ART), has since long been a matter of debate. Whereas cystectomy has been advocated in the past, recently more evidence has emerged on the potential negative effect of surgery on ovarian reserve. Parallel to this, prolonged downregulation with GnRH-a (gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists) has been described to improve ART pregnancy rates in women with endometriosis. However, none of these strategies have been assessed in a large randomized controlled trial. The aim of the EndoART study is to assess whether ovarian surgery or prolonged GnRH-a downregulation result in higher pregnancy rates after ART compared to no intervention in women with endometrioma(s). Methods/design: A parallel randomized multi-center trial has been designed to compare ART pregnancy rates in three different treatment groups: no intervention, ovarian surgery, and prolonged hormonal suppression by GnRH-a prior to ART. The primary outcome measure studied is the clinical pregnancy rate with fetal heart-beat within 6 months after initiation of a fresh ART cycle. Secondary outcome measures studied include live birth rate after one initiated fresh ART cycle, cumulative clinical pregnancy rate with fetal heart-beat and live birth rates (after one fully completed ART cycle: initiated fresh + eventual associated frozen embryo transfer cycles), ART–specific data (e.g. number of oocytes, number of good quality embryos), complications, pelvic pain, and quality of life. Conclusion: This trial may answer the most frequently asked questions by both women with endometriosis and physicians: how do you treat endometrioma in women prior to treatment with ART?

scholarly journals Supporting women undergoing IVF treatment with timely patient information through an app: A Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Timmers ◽  
Manouk Keijsers ◽  
Jan AM Kremer ◽  
Loes Janssen ◽  
Jesper Smeenk
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Patient Education ◽  
Assisted Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Level Of Satisfaction ◽  
Level Of Knowledge ◽  
The Right

BACKGROUND Since the introduction of assisted reproductive technologies in 1978, over 2 million IVF (in vitro fertilization) babies have been born worldwide. Patients play a vital role in the chances of success for this treatment. They are required to take fertility medication (hormone injections) to activate the ovaries to produce a sufficient number of oocytes. Later on, they need to take medication to increase the chance of the embryo surviving inside the uterus. To minimize emotional burden and to reduce the risk of being non-compliant, patients are educated during an intake consultation at the start of the treatment. The consultation lasts about 30 to 45 minutes and covers all important subjects. Even though ample time and energy is spent on patient education, patients still feel anxious, unknowledgeable and unsupported. This is where electronic health (eHealth) by means of an app for smartphone or tablet comes in, as it allows healthcare professionals to provide their patients with the right information at the right time by using push-notifications. OBJECTIVE The aim of this randomized controlled trial was to evaluate an app to support IVF and ICSI patients throughout the different phases of their treatment, and to assess its effectiveness. The primary outcome of the study is patients’ level of satisfaction with the information they were provided with. The secondary outcomes were their level of knowledge, ability to administer the medication, overall experienced quality of the treatment and healthcare consumption. METHODS This study was performed at specialized fertility clinic of the non-academic teaching hospital Elisabeth-TweeSteden Ziekenhuis (ETZ) in Tilburg, The Netherlands. Between April 2018 and August 2019, patients who were scheduled for IVF or ICSI treatment were invited to participate in a physician-blinded, randomized controlled trial. RESULTS In total, 54 patients participated (intervention group n=29). At the first measurement, patients in the intervention group demonstrated a higher level of satisfaction. In addition, they reported to be more knowledgeable about the different elements of the treatment. Over time, this difference disappeared. There were no differences between patients on the other outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrates that, in comparison with standard patient education, using an app to provide patients with timely information, increases their level of satisfaction. Furthermore, using the app leads to a higher level of knowledge about the steps and procedures during the IVF treatment. The app’s usage statistics clearly display patients’ information needs, and their willingness to use an eHealth application as part of their treatment. CLINICALTRIAL Netherlands Trial Register (NTR): 6959; https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/6959

Do hotspots improve student performance? Evidence from a small-scale randomized controlled trial

First Monday ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Whitacre ◽  
Amanda Higgins
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Educational Outcomes ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Internet Access ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Laptop Computer ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Computer Ownership

Much has been made about the “homework gap” that exists between students who have access to the Internet and those that do not. Policy-makers increasingly recognize the connectivity aspect of this issue but typically fail to acknowledge the importance of computer ownership. We use a small-scale randomized controlled trial (n=18) to test whether the provision of Internet access by itself — or in conjunction with a laptop computer — improves educational outcomes of alternative high-school students in the U.S. Our results suggest that the combination of Internet access and computer ownership is more effective than Internet access alone for positive educational outcomes.

scholarly journals Normothermic Insufflation to Prevent Perioperative Hypothermia and Improve Quality of Recovery in Elective Colectomy Patients: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edyta Ryczek ◽  
Judith White ◽  
Ruth Louise Poole ◽  
Nicola Laura Reeves ◽  
Jared Torkington ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Standard Care ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Perioperative Hypothermia ◽  
Quality Of Recovery ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Patient Reported

BACKGROUND Perioperative hypothermia during laparoscopy for bowel resection is a risk factor for postoperative medical complications and surgical wound infections. Despite various warming methods used during surgery, a significant number of patients experience perioperative hypothermia. Use of dry, unwarmed insufflation carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) during laparoscopic procedures may contribute to this problem. Evidence exists that the HumiGard device, which humidifies and heats CO<sub>2</sub> for insufflation, can reduce the risk of perioperative hypothermia. OBJECTIVE The aim is to determine if insufflation with warmed, humidified CO<sub>2</sub> using the HumiGard device, alongside standard perioperative warming techniques, can improve patient recovery, including pain, surgical site infections, complications, and the use of analgesia compared with standard care alone. METHODS The study is a multicenter, randomized, blinded (patient, surgeon, and assessor), sham device-controlled, parallel group-controlled trial of 232 patients. The study aims to recruit patients undergoing elective laparoscopic, segmental, or total colectomy. Patients will be randomized to receive HumiGard plus standard care or standard care alone (1:1 ratio). The primary outcome is patient-reported quality of recovery, measured by the validated QoR-40 (quality of recovery) questionnaire, from baseline to postoperative day 1. Secondary outcomes include postoperative pain, the incidence of hypothermia, and the rate of postoperative complications. RESULTS The information gathered during a small-scale service evaluation at a single hospital was used to inform this study protocol. Before applying for a grant for this full randomized controlled trial, the authors will conduct a feasibility study of 40 patients to ensure that the protocol is feasible and to inform our sample size calculation. CONCLUSIONS The randomized controlled trial is designed to provide high-quality evidence on the effectiveness of the HumiGard device in potentially reducing the risk of perioperative hypothermia in patients scheduled for laparoscopic colectomy. The results will be used to improve the maintenance of adequate patient body temperature during surgery.

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