INCREASED INTERLEUKIN-6 LEVELS IN PERITONEAL-FLUID OF INFERTILE PATIENTS WITH ACTIVE ENDOMETRIOSIS

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to investigate the relationship between the levels of interleukin-6, interleukin-8 soluble receptor, and tumor ne crosis factor-alpha in peritoneal fluid and the size and number of act ive red endometriotic lesions. STUDY DESIGN: In a university hospital 39 women of reproductive age underwent either laparoscopy for infertil ity workup or laparoscopic surgery for ovarian chocolate cysts. Perito neal fluid was collected by laparoscopy. Active lesions, such as red f lamelike lesions, glandlike lesions, and red vesicles, were scored acc ording to the revised American Fertility Society classification system according to the size and number of active lesions. Peritoneal fluid levels of interleukin-6, interleukin-6 soluble receptor, and tumor nec rosis factor-alpha revels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbe nt assays. The relationship between peritoneal fluid concentrations of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha and the score of active endometriosis was investigated. RESULTS: Peritoneal fluid levels of i nterleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were significantly higher in patients with endometriosis compared with patients without endomet riosis. The concentrations in patients with active endometriosis incre ased as the size and the number of active lesions increased. Cyclic va riations in interleukin-6 concentrations were seen in peritoneal fluid from patients with endometriosis; the concentrations in the secretary phase were significantly higher than those in the proliferative phase . CONCLUSIONS: Increased peritoneal fluid levels of interleukin-6 in p atients with active red endometriosis may relate to endometriosis-asso ciated infertility and to the pathogenesis of endometriosis.