Elsevier

Fertility and Sterility

Volume 79, Issue 6, June 2003, Pages 1288-1293
Fertility and Sterility

Endometriosis
Oxidative stress may be a piece in the endometriosis puzzle

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Abstract

Objective

To assess the total antioxidant potential of women with endometriosis-associated infertility, women with idiopathic infertility, and fertile controls.

Design

Retrospective study.

Setting

University medical hospital.

Patient(s)

Sixty-five women admitted for diagnostic laparoscopy.

Main outcomes measure(s)

Peritoneal fluid samples were analyzed for superoxide dismutase activity and total antioxidant status on spectrophotometry, glutathione peroxidase activity on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and lipid peroxides levels on colorimetry.

Result(s)

Mean activity of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and total antioxidant status was lowest and lipid peroxide level was highest among infertile patients with endometriosis. Women with idiopathic infertility, in contrast, had the highest superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and total antioxidant status activity and the lowest lipid peroxide level.

Conclusion(s)

High antioxidant potential is not a contributing factor in women with idiopathic infertility. Low total antioxidant status and low activity of antioxidant enzymes in the peritoneal fluid of infertile women with endometriosis probably do not influence fertility in these women, but these factors may play a role in the development of the disease.

Keywords

Oxidative stress
endometriosis
glutathione peroxidase
superoxide dismutase
total antioxidant status
lipid peroxide

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