Korean J Obstet Gynecol.  2001 Sep;44(9):1617-1620.

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

• Kim HS
• Lee SM
• Shin HG
• Mun HK
• Cho TI
• Kang JB
• Lee YK

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.

Keyword

Endometriosis; Tumor necrosis factor-alpha

MeSH Terms

Ascitic Fluid*
Case-Control Studies
Classification
Endometriosis*
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Female
Fertility
Genital Diseases, Female
Humans
Laparotomy
Plasma*
Prospective Studies
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha