Total Cortisol Levels are Reduced in the Periovulatory Follicle of Infertile Women with Minimal–Mild Endometriosis

Michael P. Smith, M P Smith, S D Keay, F C Margo, Christopher R. Harlow, C R Harlow, Peter J. Wood, P J Wood, D J Cahill, David J Cahill, M G R Hull
American journal of reproductive immunology (New York, N.Y. : 1989) · 2002 · vol. 47(1) , pp. 52–56 · doi:10.1034/j.1600-0897.2002.1o122.x · PMID:11885559 · W2067737078
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This study found that total cortisol levels were significantly lower in the periovulatory follicles of infertile women with minimal-mild endometriosis compared to controls.

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Abstract

PROBLEM: To measure and compare concentrations of total and free glucocorticoids with oocyte fertilizing capacity in the follicular fluid (FF) of women with minimal-mild endometriosis and tubal damage. METHOD OF STUDY: Follicular fluid was collected from individual periovulatory follicles during oocyte retrieval for in vitro fertilization (IVF) in natural cycles. Total and free levels of cortisol and cortisone were measured using specific radioimmunoassays after chloroform extraction. RESULTS: Cortisol concentrations in women with minimal-mild endometriosis were significantly lower compared with controls (women with tubal infective damage) (258 versus 328 nmol/L, P < 0.02). There was no correlation between total or free concentrations of cortisol or cortisone and the fertilization capacity of the oocyte. CONCLUSIONS: Total cortisol levels are lower in the follicles of women with endometriosis. Our findings provide further evidence of follicular dysfunction contributing to the subfertility associated with minimal-mild endometriosis.

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Condition tags

mesh:D004715endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Follicular Fluid Hydrocortisone Infertility, Female Case-Control Studies Cortisone Cortisone Endometriosis Endometriosis Female Fertilization in Vitro Follicular Fluid Humans Hydrocortisone Infertility, Female Infertility, Female Infertility, Female Models, Biological Ovulation Ovulation

Citation neighborhood

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. [ expand to 2 hops ] — adds papers reached through this work's immediate citers/citees. Heavier; up to 60 extra dots.

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Cited by (17)

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