TY - JOUR
T1 - Leptin concentrations in the peritoneal fluid of women with ovarian endometriosis are different according to the presence of a 'deep' or 'superficial' ovarian disease
AU - Alviggi, Carlo
AU - Clarizia, Roberto
AU - Castaldo, Gennaro
AU - Matarese, Giuseppe
AU - Colucci, Camillo C.
AU - Conforti, Salvatore
AU - Pagano, Tiziana
AU - Revelli, Alberto
AU - De Placido, Giuseppe
PY - 2009
Y1 - 2009
N2 - Some studies have suggested a possible role of leptin, an active cytokine produced by adipocytes, in the pathogenesis of pelvic endometriosis. The present study was designed to assess leptin levels in the peritoneal fluid PF of women with the 'deep' or 'superficial' types of ovarian endometriosis. Twenty-seven women with a single ovarian endometrioma having a mean diameter between 3 and 5 cm were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups according to the type of ovarian endometriosis: Group A n 11 consisted of women with 'superficial' endometriomas located at the ovarian surface; Group B n 16 included patients with 'deep' intra-ovarian endometriomas. Women undergoing laparoscopy for unexplained infertility and not affected by pelvic andor ovarian endometriosis were considered as controls Group C, n 10. Patients with an ovarian endometrioma had significantly increased PF leptin concentrations than endometriosis-free controls Groups A and B vs. Group C, p <0.01. Patients with 'superficial' endometriomas had significantly higher PF leptin levels compared with patients with 'deep' endometriomas Group A vs. B, p <0.01. This difference remained significant after correction for the BMI; moreover, a positive correlation between PF leptin and BMI was observed in Groups B and C, but not in women with 'superficial' endometrioma Group A. Our observations suggest that: a leptin could play an active role in promoting the development of 'superficial' ovarian endometriomas and b 'superficial' and 'deep' ovarian endometriomas could have a different pathogenesis.
AB - Some studies have suggested a possible role of leptin, an active cytokine produced by adipocytes, in the pathogenesis of pelvic endometriosis. The present study was designed to assess leptin levels in the peritoneal fluid PF of women with the 'deep' or 'superficial' types of ovarian endometriosis. Twenty-seven women with a single ovarian endometrioma having a mean diameter between 3 and 5 cm were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups according to the type of ovarian endometriosis: Group A n 11 consisted of women with 'superficial' endometriomas located at the ovarian surface; Group B n 16 included patients with 'deep' intra-ovarian endometriomas. Women undergoing laparoscopy for unexplained infertility and not affected by pelvic andor ovarian endometriosis were considered as controls Group C, n 10. Patients with an ovarian endometrioma had significantly increased PF leptin concentrations than endometriosis-free controls Groups A and B vs. Group C, p <0.01. Patients with 'superficial' endometriomas had significantly higher PF leptin levels compared with patients with 'deep' endometriomas Group A vs. B, p <0.01. This difference remained significant after correction for the BMI; moreover, a positive correlation between PF leptin and BMI was observed in Groups B and C, but not in women with 'superficial' endometrioma Group A. Our observations suggest that: a leptin could play an active role in promoting the development of 'superficial' ovarian endometriomas and b 'superficial' and 'deep' ovarian endometriomas could have a different pathogenesis.
KW - Endometriosis
KW - Leptin
KW - Ovary
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U2 - 10.1080/09513590903015577
DO - 10.1080/09513590903015577
M3 - Article
C2 - 19544117
AN - SCOPUS:70350625417
VL - 25
SP - 610
EP - 615
JO - Gynecological Endocrinology
JF - Gynecological Endocrinology
SN - 0951-3590
IS - 9
ER -