ABSTRACT
CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: One of the diagnostic markers of endometriosis is CA-125, and elevated levels of this are caused by high concentrations in the ectopic endometrium. The objective of this study was to correlate CA-125 levels in serum and peritoneal fluid from women with and without pelvic endometriosis. DESIGN AND SETTING: This was a prospective, cross-sectional, controlled study of consecutive pa-tients undergoing laparoscopy for infertility, pelvic pain or tubal ligation, during early follicular phase, at the university hospital of Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto. METHODS: Fifty-two patients were divided into two groups: endometriosis group, consisting of 35 patients with biopsy-confirmed pelvic endometriosis, and control group, consisting of 17 patients without endometriosis. CA-125 levels in serum samples and peritoneal fluid were determined by chemiluminescence. RESULTS: CA-125 levels in serum and peritoneal fluid were higher in patients with advanced pelvic endometriosis (means of 39.1 ± 45.8 U/ml versus 10.5 ± 5.9 U/ml in serum, p < 0.005; 1,469.4 ± 1,350.4 U/ml versus 888.7 ± 784.3 U/ml in peritoneal fluid, p < 0.05), and showed a positive correlation between each other (correlation coefficient (r) = 0.4880). Women with more advanced degrees of endometriosis showed higher CA-125 levels in both serum and peritoneal fluid (p = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: There is a positive correlation between serum and peritoneal fluid values of CA-125 in women with and without endometriosis, and their levels are higher in peritoneal fluid. Advanced endometriosis is related to higher levels in both serum and peritoneal fluid.
CONTEXTO E OBJETIVO: Um dos marcadores diagnósticos de endometriose é o CA-125, e seus níveis elevados são devidos à alta concentração no endométrio ectópico. O objetivo deste estudo foi correlacionar os níveis de CA-125 no soro e fluido peritonial de mulheres com e sem endometriose pélvica. TIPO DE ESTUDO E LOCAL: Estudo prospectivo, longitudinal, controlado, de pacientes consecutivas submetidas a laparoscopia por infertilidade, dor pélvica ou laqueadura tubária, durante a fase folicular precoce no Hospital Universitário da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto. MÉTODOS: Cinqüenta e duas pacientes foram divididas em dois grupos: grupo endometriose, com 35 pacientes com biópsia confirmada de endometriose pélvica, e grupo controle, com 17 pacientes sem endometriose. Níveis de CA-125 em amostras no soro e fluido peritonial foram determinadas por quimiluminescência. RESULTADOS: Os níveis de CA-125 no soro e fluido peritonial foram mais altos nas pacientes com endometriose pélvica avançada (média 39,1 ± 45,8 U/ml versus 10,5 ± 5,9 U/ml no soro, p < 0,005, 1469,4 ± 1350,4 U/ml versus 888,7 ± 784,3 U/ml no fluido peritonial, p < 0,05), e o estudo mostrou uma correlação positiva entre eles (coeficiente de correlação = 0,4880). Mulheres com estágios mais avançados de endometriose mostraram níveis de CA-125 maiores em ambos soro e fluido peritonial (p = 0,0001). CONCLUSÃO: Há uma correlação positiva entre os valores de CA-125 no soro e no fluido peritonial em pacientes com e sem endometriose e seus níveis são maiores no fluido peritonial. Endometriose avançada é relacionada com níveis mais altos de CA-125 em ambos soro e fluido peritonial.
Subject(s)
Humans , Female , Adult , Ascitic Fluid/chemistry , /blood , Endometriosis/diagnosis , Pelvic Inflammatory Disease/diagnosis , Ascitic Fluid/metabolism , Biomarkers/blood , Endometriosis/blood , Endometriosis/pathology , Epidemiologic Methods , Immunoradiometric Assay , Laparoscopy , Menstrual Cycle/metabolism , Pelvic Inflammatory Disease/blood , Pelvic Inflammatory Disease/pathologyABSTRACT
Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis) is a common cause of pelvic inflammatory disease in female population. This infection can be diagnosed both by culture and serology. The present study evaluated the seroprevalence of chlamydial infection in patients with pelvic inflammatory disease (ND) and infertility and in control population of healthy normal females. The seroprevalence was found to be 82.7% in patients and 32% in controls by Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay (ELISA) for any one or more class of antichlamydial antibodies (IgG/IgM/ IgA). The study demonstrates the importance of serology to monitor trends of chlamydial infections in women with PID and infertility.