Investigation of glutathione concentrations in peritoneal fluid from women with and without endometriosis.
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.
Polak
Grzegorz
G
Department of Gynecology, University School of Medicine, ul. Staszica 16, 20-081 Lublin, Poland. polakg@yahoo.com
Wertel
Iwona
I
Kozioł-Montewka
Maria
M
Tarkowski
Rafał
R
Kotarski
Jan
J
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*
D015415:Biomarkers; D005978:Glutathione