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

ABSTRACT

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.