A MID-LUTEAL PHASE COMPARISON OF PERITONEAL-FLUID VOLUME AND ITS CONTENT OF PGF(2-ALPHA) AND PGE(2) IN WOMEN WITH MINIMAL STAGE ENDOMETRIOSIS AND A NORMAL PELVIS

The study was carried out following the approval of our Hospital Ethic s Committee and an informed patient consent. Samples of peritoneal flu id were collected from the Pouch of Douglas at laparoscopy from 32 sub jects with minimal stage endometriosis (MSE) and 16 without any visibl e signs of endometriosis (normal group). All the subjects were in 20 t o 23 day period of their menstrual cycle which was histologically conf irmed. The endometriosis score was estimated according to the American Fertility Score, 1985 and the fluid samples were collected in tubes c ontaining heparin/indomethacin and standing in ice. The samples were e stimated for volume, erythrocyte count, prostaglandin(PG) F2alpha, and PGE2. Radioimmunoassay techniques were used for the estimation of PGs . Prostaglandin F2alpha, was measured in its parent form while PGE2 wa s converted into bicyclic-PGE2 before estimation. The results indicate that the peritoneal fluid in women with MSE has higher than normal le vels of PGF2alpha and lower than normal levels of PGE2 and its PGE2 : PGF2alpha ratio is also below normal. There is no difference in the vo lume of peritoneal fluid in the two groups. Provided the fluid sample is not contaminated with abdominal blood its erythrocyte count is not related to its prostaglandin content.