Comparisons of inhibin B versus antimüllerian hormone in poor ovarian responders undergoing in vitro fertilization

Objective: To evaluate serum inhibin B as a predictor of poor ovarian response in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF-ICSI) and to compare it with the performance of antimüllerian hormone (AMH).

Design: Meta-analysis.

Setting: University hospital.

Patient(s): Patients undergoing IVF.

Intervention(s): None.

Main outcome measure(s): Poor ovarian response in controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH).

Result(s): Fifteen studies on serum inhibin B and 12 studies on AMH were selected for meta-analysis. Both basal and stimulated inhibin B levels were statistically significantly lower in poor ovarian responders than in controls. The estimated summary receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves suggested that stimulated inhibin B was more accurate than basal inhibin B and AMH in the prediction of poor ovarian response.

Conclusion(s): Both basal and stimulated serum inhibin B levels are lower in poor responders than in controls. Compared with AMH, stimulated inhibin B is a more accurate predictor of ovarian response in patients undergoing IVF, making it a potentially useful tool in future IVF practice.