Evaluation of serum and urinary angiogenic factors in patients with endometriosis.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate serum and urinary levels of vascular endothelial growth factors, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase (sFlt-1) in patients with endometriosis.


METHODS
During surgery for pelvic pain, pelvic mass or infertility, serum and urine were collected. Of 70 patients, 46 had histology-proven endometriosis and 24 patients without endometriosis participated as controls.


RESULTS
Serum TNF-alpha levels and urinary sFlt-1 levels corrected for creatinine excretion were significantly increased in the endometriosis group (P=0.001 and P=0.011 respectively). Serum sFlt-1 levels and urinary sFlt-1 levels corrected for creatinine were significantly higher in patients with minimal-to-mild disease (P=0.014 and P=0.015 respectively), where serum TNF-alpha levels were increased in moderate-to-severe endometriosis (P<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The pathogenesis of minimal-to-mild endometriosis and moderate-to-severe endometriosis seems to be different. Increased sFlt-1 levels in serum and urine of minimal-to-mild disease indicate that sFlt-1 may have an important role in inhibiting angiogenic process of the disease.
Cho
Si Hyun
SH
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yongdong Severance Hospital, Yonsei University, College of Medicine, Dogok-dong, KangNam-gu, Seoul, Korea.
Oh
Yoon Jin
YJ
Nam
Anna
A
Kim
Hye Yeon
HY
Park
Joo Hyun
JH
Kim
Jae Hoon
JH
Park
Ki Hyun
KH
Cho
Dong Je
DJ
Lee
Byung Seok
BS
D000328:Adult; D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood
D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1