Increased chemotactic activity of peritoneal fluid in patients with endometriosis.
OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to investigate the ability of the peritoneal fluid of patients with endometriosis to induce chemotaxis of neutrophils and macrophages.


METHODS
Peritoneal fluid samples of patients with endometriosis (n = 20), normal fertile controls (n = 12), or patients with medical suppression (n = 8) were evaluated for chemotactic activity. Results of chemotactic activity were analyzed by analysis of variance.


RESULTS
Peritoneal fluid of patients with endometriosis demonstrated a significantly higher chemotactic activity than that of patients without endometriosis or with medical suppression. Patients who had received medical treatment had the lowest chemotactic activity. (p < 0.001 for endometriosis vs control or treatment patients, p = 0.005 for control group vs treatment group).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with endometriosis have a higher chemotactic activity in their peritoneal fluid; prior medical treatment significantly reduces this activity. This chemotactic factor has an estimated weight of 20 kd. The nature and source of this chemotactic factor remains to be determined.
Leiva
M C
MC
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine, Philadelphia 19104.
Hasty
L A
LA
Pfeifer
S
S
Mastroianni
L
L
Lyttle
C R
CR
D000328:Adult; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002633:Chemotaxis; D002845:Chromatography; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages / Q000502:physiology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000502:physiology