Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42032741›Full record

ArticleTrials2026

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) pretreatment duration and letrozole supplementation for optimizing live birth rates in women with adenomyosis undergoing frozen-thawed embryo transfer (GOLD-FET): study protocol for a multicenter, 2 × 2 factorial randomized controlled trial in China.

Yujing Xiong, Fang Gu, Liu Du, Jing Gu, Zhanghong Ke, Yameng Xu, Ben W Mol, Beihong Zheng, Xiufeng Lin, Yanwen Xu

Registry-linked trialAbstract readClinical Trial Protocol
In one paragraph

Article in Trials, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07065539 (The Impact of Duration of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Agonist Pretreatment and Letrozole Supplementation on Pregnancy Outcomes in Frozen-Thawed Embryo Transfer Cycles for Patients With Adenomyosis), which is not on this map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT07065539 nanot yet recruitingnot on this map

The Impact of Duration of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Agonist Pretreatment and Letrozole Supplementation on Pregnancy Outcomes in Frozen-Thawed Embryo Transfer Cycles for Patients With Adenomyosis: A 2 by 2 Factorial Multicenter, Randomized Controlled Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorFirst Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen UniversityRan2025 to 2027Enrolled432ConditionsAdenomyosis of Uterus, Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET)ArmsGnRH-a-1M, GnRH-a-2M, GnRH-a+LE-1M, GnRH-a+LE-2M
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Yujing Xiong *Reproductive Medical Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8412-7839
Fang Gu *Reproductive Medical Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
Liu Du *Department of Ultrasound Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
Jing GuDepartment of Medical Statistics, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
Zhanghong KeCenter of Reproductive Medicine, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Fuzhou, People's Republic of China.
Yameng XuReproductive Medicine Center, Boai Hospital of Zhongshan Affiliated to Southern Medical University, Zhongshan, People's Republic of China.
Ben W MolSchool of Preventative Medicine, Monash University, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
Beihong ZhengCenter of Reproductive Medicine, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Fuzhou, People's Republic of China.
Xiufeng LinReproductive Medicine Center, Boai Hospital of Zhongshan Affiliated to Southern Medical University, Zhongshan, People's Republic of China.
Yanwen XuReproductive Medical Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China. xuyanwen@mail.sysu.edu.cn.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 82201784Sun Yat-sen University 2025012
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAdenomyosis, an estrogen-dependent condition characterized by endometrial invasion into the myometrium, is associated with reduced live birth rates and increased miscarriage risk in women undergoing assisted reproductive technologies (ART). Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRH-a) are commonly used for pretreatment before frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) in adenomyosis patients, but optimal duration remains unclear. Letrozole, an aromatase inhibitor, may enhance GnRH-a efficacy by mitigating its flare-up effect and reducing peripheral estrogen production, yet high-level evidence on their combined effect is lacking. This study aims to compare the live birth rate and other pregnancy outcomes between one and two doses of GnRH-a pretreatment with or without letrozole supplementation in women with adenomyosis undergoing FET.

methodsThis is a 2 × 2 factorial, multi-center, open-label, randomized controlled trial (RCT) conducted at three reproductive medical centers in China, with a planned enrollment of 432 women aged 20-38 years with sonographically diagnosed adenomyosis scheduled for single blastocyst FET. This study is designed as a superiority trial. Recruitment will be conducted by trained clinical research coordinators. Participants are randomized in a 1:1:1:1 ratio to four arms: one dose of GnRH-a (3.75 mg), two doses of GnRH-a, one dose of GnRH-a with letrozole (2.5 mg daily for 28 days), or two doses of GnRH-a with letrozole (2.5 mg daily for 28 days). The primary outcome is live birth rate. Secondary outcomes include fertility outcomes, pregnancy and obstetric outcomes, and neonatal outcomes. Safety outcomes, including the incidence and severity of low-estrogen-related adverse events (e.g., hot flashes, bone loss, vaginal dryness) and other serious adverse events, will be collected and compared. An internal pilot phase will assess procedural feasibility when approximately 25 participants are randomized per arm. Data are collected via medical records and follow-up assessments up to 6 months postpartum. DISCUSSION: This factorial RCT is the first to assess the synergistic effects of GnRH-a dosage and letrozole supplementation, overcoming limitations of single-factor studies. By comprehensively evaluating pregnancy outcomes, the study aims to optimize pretreatment strategies, inform clinical guidelines, and improve pregnancy outcomes for adenomyosis patients undergoing FET.

trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT07065539. Registered on 14 July 2025. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07065539 . The first participant was enrolled in August 2025.

Indexed as

AdenomyosisAromatase InhibitorsEmbryo TransferFertility Agents, FemaleGonadotropin-Releasing HormoneLetrozoleAdultChinaCryopreservationDrug Administration ScheduleEquivalence Trials as TopicFemaleHumansLive BirthMulticenter Studies as TopicPregnancyAromatase InhibitorsFertility Agents, FemaleGonadotropin-Releasing HormoneLetrozoleAdenomyosisFrozen-thawed embryo transferGonadotropin-releasing hormone agonistLetrozolePregnancy outcomes

Identifiers

PMID42032741
PMCPMC13245048

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.