Calcium infusion plus or minus cabergoline for prevention of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome: Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial

Aim: To evaluate the interaction of adding oral cabergoline (OC) to calcium infusion as a preventive modality for ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) in risky women undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) in context of in- vitro fertilization (IVF) / intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
Patients and Methods: This prospective, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted at Benha IVF center of Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of Benha University and Nour Al Hayah Fertility Center Between January 2015 and February 2016. 220 risky women for OHSS undergoing ICSI were included, they were randomized to 110 women received once daily OC for eight days, starting at HCG triggering and infusion of calcium gluconate 10 ml 10% in 200 ml 0.9% saline daily for 4 days beginning at ovum pick up (OPU), coined as calcium infusion plus group (CI+) and 110 women received only calcium infusion in the same fashion as in CI+ coined as calcium infusion minus group (CI-). The primary outcome was the overall incidence of OHSS while the secondary issues were OHSS types and grades as well as other ICSI outcomes.
Results: The incidence of overall OHSS was significantly lower in calcium infusion plus oral cabergoline (CI+) group compared to calcium infusion alone (CI-) group [8/110(7.2%) in CI+ versus 18/110 (16.3%) in CI- with difference in proportion percentage point (ΔPP)=-9.1%, 95% CI: -0.49, -17.4; P = 0.036]. Despite the incidence of moderate and severe OHSS was lower in CI+ than in CI-, this difference didn't reach the significance level (2.7% vs 5.4%; p = 0.3) and (0.9% versus 2.7%; ), respectively. The other COH and ICSI outcomes didn't show any statistically significant differences.
Conclusion: Adding oral cabergoline to calcium infusion is effective than calcium infusion alone in the reduction of overall OHSS incidence as well as its severity at comparable pregnancy outcomes