High plasma concentrations of di-(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate in women with endometriosis

Cobellis L, L. Cobellis, Latini G, G Latini, C De Felice, De Felice C, S. Razzi, Razzi S, Paris I, I Paris, F Ruggieri, Ruggieri F, Mazzeo P, P Mazzeo, Felice Petraglia, F Petraglia
Human Reproduction · 2003 · vol. 18(7) , pp. 1512–1515 · doi:10.1093/humrep/deg254 · PMID:12832380 · W1979301875
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Women with endometriosis exhibited significantly higher plasma concentrations of the plasticizer di-(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate (DEHP) compared to control women.

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Emerging evidence suggests a potential role for ubiquitous environmental contaminants in the physiopathology of endometriosis. Di-(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate (DEHP), the most commonly used plasticizer in flexible polyvinylchloride (PVC) formulations, is a widespread environmental contaminant with potentially adverse effects on fertility in animal models. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that DEHP and/or and its main metabolite, mono-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP), play a role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. METHODS: Specimens of blood and peritoneal fluid were collected in a group of women with endometriosis (n = 55), and in age-matched control women (n = 24). Concentrations of DEHP and MEHP were measured in plasma and peritoneal fluid by using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Differences between groups were tested using the Fisher's exact test, Wilcoxon-test, and Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance. RESULTS: Endometriotic women showed significantly higher plasma DEHP concentrations than controls (median 0.57 micro g/ml, interquartile range: 0.06-1.23; values range: 0-3.24 versus median 0.18 micro g/ml, interquartile range: 0-0.44; values range: 0-1.03; P = 0.0047) and 92.6% of them had detectable DEHP and /or MEHP in the peritoneal fluid. No significant differences in either the DEHP/MEHP plasma concentrations (P >/= 0.31) or DEHP/MEHP peritoneal fluid concentrations (P >/= 0.66) were observed in the endometriotic patients as a function of the disease stage at the time of diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings showed for the first time an association between DEHP plasma concentrations and endometriosis, suggesting a possible role for phthalate esters in the pathogenesis.

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Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Diethylhexyl Phthalate Diethylhexyl Phthalate Endometriosis Endometriosis Adult Adult Ascitic Fluid Ascitic Fluid Ascitic Fluid Diethylhexyl Phthalate Diethylhexyl Phthalate Endometriosis Endometriosis Female Female Humans Humans Middle Aged Middle Aged

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Papers in the corpus that this work cites (lower rings, blue) and that cite this one (upper rings, green). Dot size scales with the paper's in-corpus citation count — bigger dot = more influential within the endo/adeno field. Click a dot to open that paper. Outer rings show 2-hop neighbours — papers reached through the immediate citers/citees. [ collapse to 1-hop ]

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