A Study of Altered IL-6 and TNF-alpha Expression in Peritoneal Fluid of Patients with Endometriosis / 대한불임학회지

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to investigate the relationship between the levels of IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in the peritoneal fluid of women with and without endometriosis and infertile women. METHODS: This study is prospective and case-control study in University hospital, enrolled thirty-four women with laparoscopic findings of minimal to severe endometriosis, and thirty-seven women with no visual evidence of pelvic endometriosis and with benign gynecologic disease. IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels in peritoneal fluid were determined using commercial ELISA. IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations were compared among women with and without endometriosis, and with infertile and fertile women, and then also compared according the revised American Fertility Society classification. RESULTS: IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations were higher than in the peritoneal fluid of women with endometriosis than in matched normal controls. Cyclic variations in IL-6 concentrations were seen in peritoneal fluid from patients with endometriosis: the concentrations in the secretory phase were significantly higher than those in the proliferative phase. The concentrations were higher than among of infertile women than in fertile women. A significant correlation between IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations and endometriosis stage III and IV was noted. CONCLUSION: Increased levels of IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in patients with endometriosis in the peritoneal fluid may be relate to the pathogenesis of endometriosis suggesting that partially contribute to the disturbed immune regulation observed in patients with endometriosis.

TNF-alpha concentration of plasma and peritoneal fluid in women with endometriosis: Dose TNF-alpha influence the pathogenesis of endometriosis / 대한산부인과학회잡지

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose of study was to investigate whether in vivo levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in plasma and peritoneal fluid (PF) differ in women with and without endometriosis.Design : Prospective and case-control study. METHODS: Fifty-seven women with laparotomy or laparoscopic findings of minimal to severe endometriosis, and forty-two women with no visual evidence of pelvic endometriosis and with benign gynecologic disease. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels in plasma and PF were determined using commercial ELISA. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations were compared among women with and without endometriosis, and then also were compared according to the revised American Fertility Society classification. RESULTS: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations were not significantly increased in the plasma and PF of women with endometriosis than in matched normal controls. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations in endometriosis stage III and IV were sightly increased, which were not increased statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma and PF tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels were not different between women with and without endometriosis. Our RESULTS: do not rule out the hypothesis that tumor necrosis factor-alpha may be involved in the pathogenesis of some features of endometriosis.