title: Investigation of glutathione concentrations in peritoneal fluid from women with and without endometriosis.
abstract: Changes in the peritoneal fluid (PF) environment have been implicated in the pathogenesis of endometriosis as well as in the decrease of fertility.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the concentration of glutathione in PF of women with endometriosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one patients with endometriosis (I or II rAFS stage, n=11; III or IV rAFS stage, n=10), and 29 patients with follicular or dermoid ovarian cysts (n=17 and n=12, respectively).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean (+/-S.D.) PF glutathione concentration was 0.22+/-0.01 micromol/ml in patients with minimal or mild endometriosis, 0.21+/-0.05 micromol/ml in women with III or IV stage of the disease, 0.24 +/- 0.03 micromol/ml in women with follicle ovarian cysts, and 0.23+/-0.05 micromol/ml in patients with dermoid tumors of ovaries. No significant difference in the peritoneal glutathione level was found between the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that PF glutathione is not involved in the progression of endometriosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, University School of Medicine, ul. Staszica 16, 20-081 Lublin, Poland. polakg@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Grzegorz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Polak
authors.forename: Iwona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wertel
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kozioł-Montewka
authors.forename: Rafał
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tarkowski
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kotarski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D003884:Dermoid Cyst / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005978:Glutathione / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008183:Luteal Phase / Q000502:physiology; D010048:Ovarian Cysts / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005978:Glutathione