title: Evaluation of serum anti-Mullerian hormone levels to assess the ovarian reserve in women with severe endometriosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to measure anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) serum levels in women with severe endometriosis, in order to demonstrate the effect of the disease on ovarian reserve.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective case-control study. One hundred and ninety-five patients were enrolled: 130 fertile patients (group A) and 65 patients with stage III and IV endometriosis, diagnosed by laparoscopy and histological examination (group B). AMH serum levels were measured in both groups and were compared using Student's t-test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The two groups were homogenous for main demographic data. Group B had statistically significantly lower mean AMH serum levels (0.97±0.59ng/ml) than group A (1.72±0.63ng/ml) (p=0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study is a demonstration of the damage of endometriosis on ovarian reserve, leading to a form of incipient ovarian failure, which is considered as an early sign of advanced ovarian depletion in young women. These findings suggest that AMH could be used in the follow-up of patients with endometriosis, in order to assess promptly the decrease of ovarian reserve.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics Gynecological and Urological Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Ospedale Sant'Andrea, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189 Rome, Italy; Laboratory Praximedica, via Magnagrecia, 117 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Arianna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pacchiarotti
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Rome "Sapienza", Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Frati
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics Gynecological and Urological Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Ospedale Sant'Andrea, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giusi Natalia
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Milazzo
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics Gynecological and Urological Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Ospedale Sant'Andrea, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: angelicacatalano87@hotmail.it.
authors.forename: Angelica
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Catalano
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics Gynecological and Urological Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Ospedale Sant'Andrea, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gentile
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics Gynecological and Urological Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Ospedale Sant'Andrea, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moscarini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D054304:Anti-Mullerian Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D009865:Oocytes; D010053:Ovary; D016649:Primary Ovarian Insufficiency / Q000097:blood*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D054304:Anti-Mullerian Hormone
keywords: Anti-Mullerian hormone; Endometriosis; Ovarian failure; Ovarian reserve