Profiles of Humoral Immune Factors in Patients with Endometriosis.

Kim, J K; Kim, D H; Choi, D S; Kim, D W; Moon, S Y; Kang, S B; Lee, J Y

Original Article

Korean Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 1999;42(4):739-744.
Published online January 1, 2001.

Profiles of Humoral Immune Factors in Patients with Endometriosis.

J K Kim, D H Kim, D S Choi, D W Kim, S Y Moon, S B Kang, J Y Lee

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
To investigate specific profiles of humoral immune factors in endometriosis and to evaluate the changes in these profiles after surgical treatment of endometriosis. METHODS: Blood samples from thirty-four patients with endometriosis and 20 patients with normal control patients were tested for antiendometrial, antithyroglobulin and antinuclear antibodies, rheumatoid factor[RF], lupus anticoagulant[LAC]. Also, antiendometrial antibodies, immunoglobulin[Ig]G, IgA, IgM, complement C3, C4 and CA-125 were measured in endometriosis patients before and after operation and normal controls. Fisher`s exact test and student`s t-test were used in statistical analysis. RESULTS: Seventeen[50.0%], 14.7%, 2.9% and 2.9% of endometriosis patients had antiendometrial and antinuclear antibodies, RF and LAC respectively while 10.0% and 5% of normal controls had antiendometrial antibodies and RF repectively. Other nonspecific antibodies were not detected in both group. Nonspecific antibodies were detectable ony in patients with antiendometrial antibodies. Compared with normal controls, endometriosis patients had higher IgG and CA-125 levels but no differences in levels of IgA, IgM and complements were found. After surgical treatment of endometriosis CA-125 levels decreased while humoral factors did not changed. CONCLUSIONS: Fifty % of endometriosis patients had autoantibodies and no specific changes in humoral factors are not found after surgical treatment of endometriosis.

Key Words: Endometriosis, Autoantibodies, Humoral immune factors, CA-125, Surgical treatment