Human Reproduction

BACKGROUND: Immunological therapies have shown promising results in the treatment of endometriosis. Mycobacteria are one of the most common immune therapies used in other diseases. We have assessed the effects of mycobacteria in altering th…

BACKGROUND: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are essential for extracellular matrix remodelling and may contribute to the development of endometriosis. Transplantation of endometrium onto the chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) results i…

BACKGROUND: Endometriosis is a multifactorial disease with possible genetic predisposition and involvement of environmental factors in its pathogenesis. Cytokines may play important roles in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. The aim of thi…

Clinical confusion and inappropriate management continues to surround endometriosis. It is poorly recognized that the disorder can exist in two different morphological forms that have different symptoms, signs and prognosis. Earlier classif…

BACKGROUND: Although GnRH analogues are widely used to treat a variety of sex hormone-related diseases, little is known about their effect on metabolism. Therefore, we have evaluated the effect of a GnRH analogue, administered with or witho…

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine whether there is evidence of a systemic maternal inflammatory response in very early pregnancy. METHODS: Successive women receiving treatment by IVF or ICSI had serum C-reactive protein (C…

BACKGROUND: Many techniques have been developed to soften the cervix to reduce complications following surgical dilatation. Progesterone inhibits myometrial contractility and its secretion during pregnancy ensures cervical competence. We us…

BACKGROUND: The plasminogen activator (PA) and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) systems are implicated in the establishment of endometriosis. The mechanisms by which these systems are involved in the pathogenesis of this disease are not well …

BACKGROUND: Women with endometriosis have elevated levels of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in peritoneal macrophages and endometriotic tissue. Inhibition of COX-2 has been shown to reduce inflammation, angiogenesis and cellular proliferation. It…

BACKGROUND: It has been proposed that hormonal supplementation during prolonged GnRH agonist therapy prevents hypoestrogenic side effects, including bone loss. The optimal combination for long-term treatments with safe metabolic profile rem…

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the mode and the extent of infiltration of endometriotic lesions in the large bowel. METHODS: In 31 patients undergoing large bowel resection for severe deep-infiltrating endometriosis of the sigmoid and r…

BACKGROUND: Maintenance of ovarian homeostasis requires precise regulation of proliferation of thecal- interstitial (T-I) cells. Recent evidence indicates that oxidative stress and antioxidants modulate proliferation of various tissues unde…

BACKGROUND: We used three-dimensional power Doppler angiography (3D-PDA) to examine the periodic changes in endometrial and subendometrial vascularity during the normal menstrual cycle in 27 women without obvious menstrual dysfunction or su…

BACKGROUND: Endometriosis is a complex disease associated with a wide range of immune responses, including pain, adhesion, exudation of peritoneal fluid, elevation of cytokine levels and generation of autoantibodies. Interleukin (IL)-18 is …

BACKGROUND: To offer data on the relationship between diet and risk of pelvic endometriosis, we analysed data collected in the framework of two case-control studies. METHODS: Data from two case-control studies conducted in Northern Italy b…

BACKGROUND: Angiogenesis and vascular remodeling play critical roles in the cyclical growth and regression of endometrium. They also appear to play roles in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: Supernatants were collecte…

BACKGROUND: Transvaginal ultrasound (TVU) is feasible and accurate in the differentiation between non-malignant and malignant ovarian abnormalities. However, despite the clinical relevance, the accuracy of TVU in the differentiation between…

BACKGROUND: Side-effects and choice of drugs influence compliance during treatment for endometriosis. Progestogen administered by a device with a 5-year lifespan, has been shown to be an effective medical alternative with several advantages…

BACKGROUND: To assess the effectiveness of flushing with the oil-soluble contrast medium lipiodol in women with unexplained infertility. METHODS: An open randomized controlled trial design in a single centre secondary and tertiary level in…

BACKGROUND: Our aim was to investigate the relationships between gastrointestinal symptoms and histological findings in women with bowel endometriosis. METHODS: The gastrointestinal symptoms of 362 women with endometriosis were classified …

BACKGROUND: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is a multifunctional proinflammatory cytokine, associated with various inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Elevated TNF-alpha levels in peritoneal fluid have been reported in women with …

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have proposed the measurement of CA 19-9 and IL-6 as an alternative to CA 125 as markers for endometriosis. This study was performed in order to verify the clinical value of serum CA 125, CA 19-9 and IL-6 levels, …

A clinical case that suggested the involvement of blood coagulation cascades in the inflammation reaction induced by leakage of ovarian endometriotic cysts was encountered. Here, a rapid elevation in plasma D-dimer level (119.6 micro g/ml) …

BACKGROUND: Laminin-1, a multifunctional glycoprotein of the basement membrane, is thought to be important in embryogenesis, embryonic implantation, and placentation. We recently showed that serum IgG anti-laminin-1 autoantibodies (auto-Abs…