Peritoneal fluid interleukin-6 in women with chronic pelvic pain.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the relationship between peritoneal fluid concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and chronic pelvic pain symptomatology in women with adhesions, endometriosis, or no obvious intraperitoneal pathology.


METHODS
Clinical research study.


METHODS
Healthy volunteers in an academic research environment.


METHODS
Reproductive-aged women undergoing laparoscopy for the diagnosis of pelvic pain, infertility, or sterilization were selected.


METHODS
Peritoneal fluid was collected at the time of the laparoscopy and later assayed for IL-6. Subjects completed a pelvic pain questionnaire, and operative reports were used to obtain the underlying diagnosis.


METHODS
Interleukin-6 concentrations.


RESULTS
No correlation between the presence or absence of pelvic pain, findings of adhesions or endometriosis, and the concentration of peritoneal fluid IL-6 was observed.


CONCLUSIONS
The cytokine IL-6 does not seem to play a role in the genesis of chronic pelvic pain in women with adhesions or endometriosis.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California 90095-1740, USA. arapkin@mednet.ucla.edu
A
A
Rapkin
M
M
Morgan
C
C
Bonpane
O
O
Martinez-Maza
D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D010535:Laparoscopy; D010049:Ovarian Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012016:Reference Values; D000267:Tissue Adhesions / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism
D015850:Interleukin-6