Serum CA-125 in the diagnosis of acute pelvic inflammatory disease.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the efficiency of different tumor markers (CA-125, carcinoembryonic antigen, CA-15.3, CA-19.9) and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) measurements as a screening procedure for acute pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).


METHODS
Peripheral blood samples were obtained at the time of laparoscopy from three groups of women: (1) 50 women who underwent laparoscopic tubal ligation and had no evidence of PID (control group); (2) 20 women admitted because of suspected PID, but at laparoscopy or laparotomy had no signs of PID; (3) 20 patients who underwent acute PID diagnosed by laparoscopy. Serum levels of: CA-125, carcinoembryonic antigen, CA-15.3 and CA-19.9, and plasma IGF-I, were measured by radioimmunoassay.


RESULTS
No differences were observed in the levels of CA-15.3, CA-19.9, carcinoembryonic antigen and IGF-I between the three groups studied. Serum levels of CA-125 were significantly higher in patients who had PID. Analysis of receiver operating characteristic curves showed that only CA-125 was useful in diagnosis of acute PID. The cut-off level was 43.7 U/ml for CA-125.


CONCLUSIONS
Measurement of serum CA-125 concentrations is recommended as a useful test for acute PID in patients undergoing laparoscopy for pelvic pain.
Mozas
J
J
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital Virgen de las Nieves, Granada, Spain.
Castilla
J A
JA
Jimena
P
P
Gil
T
T
Acebal
M
M
Herruzo
A J
AJ
D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / Q000097:blood*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis; D010535:Laparoscopy; D000292:Pelvic Inflammatory Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012372:ROC Curve; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I