IVF Clinic, St Pierre Hospital, Free University Brussels, Hopital Universitaire Saint-Pierre, Rue Haute 322, B-1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
Email: annick.delvigne{at}yucom.be
Sir,
On various occasions, at conferences, I have been invited to speak about the epidemiology of OHSS. Occasionally after these talks, some of our colleagues have told me about severe complications with sometimes fatal outcomes, which have never been mentioned in the scientific literature. This suggests an underreporting of OHSS. Currently I am writing a paper about the mortality related to OHSS. Some cases with a fatal outcome were reported during the 1950s. Although more recent anecdotal cases have been discussed in workshops, no publication has ever described their circumstances in detail. We believe that some information is particularly pertinent: (i) when and where the death occurred (how long after stimulation, in a reference centre, time lapse between diagnosis and treatment, type of treatment, admission in an intensive care unit?); (ii) what was the cause of death, which may have been different in earlier days (renal failure) as compared to today (thromboembolic disorders)? We feel certain that additional data regarding these circumstances could help us to define safer treatments for our patients. Obviously, our goal is not to criticize, after the fact, the therapeutic decisions made by our colleagues. We will ensure anonymity to those who wish it. They can reply to http://www.users.skynet.be/sky98426/survey.html. On the other hand, those who would like to be mentioned will be acknowledged for their help and can contact me directly on annick_delvigne{at}stpierre-bru.be.
Submitted on September 22, 2004; accepted on January 12, 2005.