title: Evaluation of peritoneal fluid hemosiderin-laden macrophages in biopsy-proven endometriosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate peritoneal fluid hemosiderin-laden macrophages (H-LMs) in patients with endometriosis compared to controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive series of 46 patients during a year undergoing laparoscopy for benign gynecologic conditions were included. The presence of H-LMs in peritoneal fluid was evaluated. We compared clinical factors in patients with or without endometriosis in respect to H-LM status. To assess the potential of H-LMs to diagnose endometriosis, the sensitivity and specificity were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with endometriosis were significantly more likely to have positive H-LM test results than controls (p = 0.0013). The presence of H-LM has a low sensitivity of 52% but an acceptable specificity of 87% in diagnosing endometriosis. The presence of H-LMs was not related with any other of the clinical factors studied.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of specific findings of H-LMs related to endometriosis strongly suggests abnormalities in peritoneal iron metabolism.
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Research Center, Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, Department of Obstetrics-Gynecology, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, A-81, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA.
authors.forename: Mohamed Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Bedaiwy
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Noriega
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abdel Aleem
authors.forename: Sajal
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Ahmed M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: AbulHassan
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brainard
authors.forename: Alaa M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ismail
authors.forename: Tommaso
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Falcone
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000473:pathology*; D001706:Biopsy; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006485:Hemosiderin / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D006485:Hemosiderin