Increased incidence and recurrence of recent corpus luteum without ovulation stigma (luteinized unruptured follicle syndrome?) in baboons with endometriosis.
OBJECTIVE
To test the hypothesis that a recent corpus luteum (CL) without fresh ovulation stigma (OS) can be found with a higher incidence and recurrence in baboons with endometriosis and is associated with a reduced egg recovery rate after uterine flush.


METHODS
One hundred thirty-eight laparoscopies were performed in the early luteal phase of 52 cycles in 32 female baboons with a normal pelvis (controls) and of 86 cycles in 21 animals with endometriosis. The incidence and recurrence of a recent CL without OS was studied during each laparoscopy and during the first three laparoscopies in 15 baboons (five controls, ten with endometriosis), respectively. The association between the presence of a recent CL without OS and the egg recovery rate was evaluated during 65 cycles in 21 baboons after uterine flush.


RESULTS
When all 138 laparoscopies were analyzed, the incidence of a recent CL without OS was higher (P < .03) in animals with stage II-IV endometriosis (35%) than in those with stage I disease (19%) or controls (11%). Both the incidence (seven of ten) and recurrence (three of ten) of a recent CL without OS were higher in baboons with endometriosis than in controls (zero of five, P < .02) when studied during the first three laparoscopies. Laparoscopies in primates having a recent CL without OS were associated with a lower egg recovery rate (13%) than in animals with recent CL and OS (54%, P = .005).


CONCLUSIONS
A recent CL without OS was associated with a reduced egg recovery rate and could be found with a higher incidence and recurrence in baboons with endometriosis than in controls, suggesting that luteinized unruptured follicle syndrome exists and could contribute to endometriosis-associated subfertility.
D'Hooghe
T M
TM
Institute of Primate Research, Nairobi, Kenya.
Bambra
C S
CS
Raeymaekers
B M
BM
Koninckx
P R
PR
D000818:Animals; D003338:Corpus Luteum; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D015994:Incidence; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000662:veterinary; D010049:Ovarian Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006080:Ovarian Follicle; D010060:Ovulation; D010215:Papio; D018419:Primate Diseases; D012008:Recurrence; D013577:Syndrome