Study on relationship between erythropoietin and endometriosis

Objective:To study the relationship between erythropoietin (EPO) and endometriosis (EMS),explore the role of EPO in the pathogenesis of EMS.Methods:The levels of EPO in peritoneal fluid (PF) and serum were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in women with EMS and without EMS (control group). The relationship between the levels of EPO in PF and R-AFS of EMS in women with EMS was analyzed. The differences in concentration of EPO in PF and serum in clinical and control group were compared.Results:①The PF level of EPO in women with EMS was significantly higher than that in control group (P=0.05); ②The EPO concentrations of PF in women with EMS in stage I and Ⅱ were significantly higher than those in stage Ⅲ and IV (P=0.05); ③There was a significant negative correlation between the EPO concentration of PF and R-AFS score (γ=-0.406,P=0.000 5); ④The EPO levels in PF in women with EMS were significantly higher than those in serum (P=0.05); ⑤There were no significant differences in the serum levels of EPO between the women with EMS and the control group.Conclusion:EPO may play an important role in the pathogenesis of EMS by changing the microenvironment in the abdominal cavity through the angiogenesis.