Human Reproduction

STUDY QUESTION: How is the expression of nectins and nectin-like molecules (Necls) detected by immunostaining altered by endometriosis? SUMMARY ANSWER: Our results suggest that Nectin-1, -3, -4 and Necl-2 may contribute to the pathogenesis…

BACKGROUND: At present, the only way to conclusively diagnose endometriosis is laparoscopic inspection, preferably with histological confirmation. This contributes to the delay in the diagnosis of endometriosis which is 6-11 years. So far n…

BACKGROUND: Cell properties, such as attachment, adhesion and invasion, are important for the normal function of the endometrium. However, it is believed that the same properties may also be involved in the development of gynaecological dis…

BACKGROUND: To study endometrial receptivity in terms of osteopontin (OPN) and αvβ3 integrin expression and co-expression in infertile women with early stages of endometriosis. METHODS: We investigated the immunohistochemical expression an…

STUDY QUESTION: What is the prevalence of adenomyosis in a population of women attending a general gynaecological clinic? SUMMARY ANSWER: Adenomyosis was present in 206 of 985 [20.9%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 18.5-23.6%] women include…

BACKGROUND: Non-invasive diagnosis of endometriosis is urgently required to prevent the long delay between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis. A biomarker that possesses both high sensitivity and specificity is greatly required. Here, we d…

BACKGROUND: Endometriosis is a gynecological condition that is characterized by extreme abdominal pain and also decreased fertility. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) have immunosuppressive activity critical for embryonic implantation and likewise…

STUDY QUESTION: Is there a difference in the characteristics of uterine peristalsis in natural and controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) cycles? SUMMARY ANSWER: COH significantly changed the uterine peristaltic pattern. WHAT IS KNOWN …

STUDY QUESTION: Is thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) involved in the pathophysiology of endometriosis? SUMMARY ANSWER: TSLP is up-regulated by interleukin (IL)-1β and may be involved in the development of endometriosis. WHAT IS KNOWN AL…

STUDY QUESTION: Are anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels lower in women with endometriosis, notably those with endometriomas (OMAs) and deep infiltrating lesions, compared with controls without endometriosis? SUMMARY ANSWER: Endometriosis a…

BACKGROUND: Endometriosis is a common cause of pelvic pain and infertility in women of reproductive age. It is characterized by the presence of endometrial tissue outside the normal location, predominantly in the pelvic peritoneum causing s…

BACKGROUND: A previous study demonstrated that local application of levonorgestrel-loaded polylactic acid microspheres (LNG microspheres) resulted in significant regression of endometriotic cysts in a rabbit model for 6 months without distu…

STUDY QUESTION: What is the current management of women with ovarian endometriomas undergoing assisted reproductive treatment (ART) in the UK? SUMMARY ANSWER: It appears that the majority of gynaecologists in the UK offer surgery (mostly c…

STUDY QUESTION: Can resveratrol and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) inhibit the growth and survival of endometriotic-like lesions in vivo in a BALB/c model of endometriosis, and in vitro in primary cultures of human endometrial epithelial…

BACKGROUND: To raise awareness about the accessory and cavitated uterine masses (ACUM) with functional endometrium as a different entity from adult adenomyosis and to highlight the importance of a correct diagnosis, we studied four new case…

STUDY QUESTION: Is there a contribution of the minor allele at the KRAS single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs61764370 in the let-7 microRNA-binding site to endometriosis risk? SUMMARY ANSWER: We found no evidence for association between …

BACKGROUND: De novo somatic copy number aberrations (SCNAs) in eutopic and ectopic endometria are thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. In this study we used, for the first time, high-density single nucleotide polymor…

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to evaluate the significance of severe preoperative pain for patients presenting with ovarian endometrioma (OMA). METHODS: Three hundred consecutive patients with histologically proven OMA were e…

BACKGROUND: Paired-box 2 (Pax2) is involved in the development of the female genital tract and has been associated with endometrial pathologies. The expression of Pax2 is induced by epidermal growth factor (EGF) and estrogens. In the presen…

STUDY QUESTION: Is the occurrence of pelvic pain in women with ovarian endometrioma associated with coexisting peritoneal lesions (PLs)? SUMMARY ANSWER: Pelvic pain in women with ovarian endometrioma is usually associated with coexisting P…

BACKGROUND: Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown aetiology that can cause severe dysmenorrhea. Lignocaine has anti-inflammatory properties and exerts effects on nerve endings and intra-peritoneal macrophages. The objec…

BACKGROUND: Premature ovarian failure (POF) is currently managed by non-physiological sex steroid regimens which are inadequate at optimizing uterine characteristics. Previous short-term studies have demonstrated some benefits of a sex ster…

STUDY QUESTION: Do higher leptin levels and lower adiponectin levels predict subsequent development of endometriosis? SUMMARY ANSWER: Plasma leptin and adiponectin levels were not associated with laparoscopically confirmed endometriosis wh…

STUDY QUESTION: Can plasma microRNAs be used as a non-invasive diagnostic test for the detection of endometriosis? SUMMARY ANSWER: Plasma miR-17-5p, miR-20a and miR-22 are down-regulated in women with endometriosis compared with those with…