The expression of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in endometriosis

Objective: To investigate the association between concentrations of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma ) With regard to the severity of endometriosis. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Infertility unit in a university hospital. Patient(s): Seventy-one infertile patients who underwent laparoscopic evalu ation were divided into two groups: 36 patients with endometriosis served a s cases, and 35 patients without endometriosis served as control subjects. Intervention(s): Peripheral blood and peritoneal fluid (PF) were collected from these patients during laparoscopic examination. Main Outcome Measure(s): Quantitative determination of levels of human ICAM -1 and IFN-gamma was performed with the use of an ELISA. The data were eval uated by Student's t-test, analysis of variance, and regression analysis. Result(s): Significantly elevated levels of soluble ICAM-1 were found in th e sera of patients with endometriosis, especially those with advanced stage s of the disease. Decreased IFN-gamma levels, which were negatively correla ted with serum levels of soluble ICAM-1, also were noted in the PF of patie nts with endometriosis. Conclusion(s): The increased serum levels of ICAM-1 found in patients with endometriosis may indicate the presence of an active disease process. Furth er, the increased levels of soluble ICAM-1 in peripheral blood were inverse ly correlated with the concentrations of IFN-gamma in PF. The increased lev els of soluble ICAM-1 in plasma may be associated with an immunologic feedb ack response that blocks further infiltration of immune cells. These findin gs may be of value in the diagnosis surd evaluation of endometriosis. (Fert il Steril(R) 1998; 70:1139-42. (C) 1998 by American Society for Reproductiv e Medicine.).