NATURAL-KILLER-CELL ACTIVITY IN ENDOMETRIOSIS - CORRELATION BETWEEN SERUM ESTRADIOL LEVELS AND CYTOTOXICITY

Objective: To evaluate the correlation between natural killer cell act ivity and serum estradiol (E2) levels in patients with different stage s of endometriosis. Methods: Natural killer cell activity of periphera l blood lymphocytes and serum E2 levels were evaluated in 73 women who underwent laparoscopy for pelvic pain, infertility, and benign adnexa l masses. Results: The 33 patients (45%) with endometriosis showed a s ignificant decrease in natural killer cell activity in relationship to an increase in disease stage (correlation coefficient r = -0.83, P < .001). A significant inverse relationship was observed between cytotox icity and serum E2 levels (correlation coefficient r = -0.89, P < .001 ). Conclusion: The relationship between natural killer cell activity a nd serum E2 levels suggests that an immunoendocrine interaction plays an important role in the progression of endometriosis.