Profiles of Humoral Immune Factors in Patients with Endometriosis

Kim, J K; Kim, D H; Choi, D S; Kim, D W; Moon, S Y; Kang, S B; Lee, J Y

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
To investigate specific profiles of humoral immune factors in endometriosis and to evaluate the changes in these profiles after surgical treatment of endometriosis.
METHODS
Blood samples from thirty-four patients with endometriosis and 20 patients with normal control patients were tested for antiendometrial, antithyroglobulin and antinuclear antibodies, rheumatoid factor[RF], lupus anticoagulant[LAC]. Also, antiendometrial antibodies, immunoglobulin[Ig]G, IgA, IgM, complement C3, C4 and CA-125 were measured in endometriosis patients before and after operation and normal controls. Fisher`s exact test and student`s t-test were used in statistical analysis.
RESULTS
Seventeen[50.0%], 14.7%, 2.9% and 2.9% of endometriosis patients had antiendometrial and antinuclear antibodies, RF and LAC respectively while 10.0% and 5% of normal controls had antiendometrial antibodies and RF repectively. Other nonspecific antibodies were not detected in both group. Nonspecific antibodies were detectable ony in patients with antiendometrial antibodies. Compared with normal controls, endometriosis patients had higher IgG and CA-125 levels but no differences in levels of IgA, IgM and complements were found. After surgical treatment of endometriosis CA-125 levels decreased while humoral factors did not changed.
CONCLUSIONS
Fifty % of endometriosis patients had autoantibodies and no specific changes in humoral factors are not found after surgical treatment of endometriosis.