Early endometriosis invades the extracellular matrix

Marleen D.E.H. Spuijbroek, Gerard A.J. Dunselman, Paul P.C.A. Menheere, J.L.H. Evers
In: Fertility and Sterility · 1992 · vol. 58(5) , pp. 929–933 · doi:10.1016/s0015-0282(16)55437-5 · W4232416525
article OA: closed CC0 ⤵ 103 in-corpus citations
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-07 ⓘ

This study investigates early endometriosis, revealing its invasive nature into the extracellular matrix.

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Abstract

ObjectivesTo investigate whether the aminoterminal propeptides of type III procollagen are increased in patients with early endometriosis and to demonstrate that the subtle lesion of endometriosis is an active stage of the disease.DesignAminoterminal propeptide of type III procollagen was determined in serum and peritoneal fluid (PF) of 100 consecutive patients undergoing laparoscopy.SettingAcademisch Ziekenhuis Maastricht, The Netherlands, a tertiary care center.ResultsAminoterminal propeptide PF levels were significantly higher in women with early lesions of endometriosis compared with levels in two groups of controls, i.e., fertile, cycling, women without the disease (P = 0.019) and women on oral contraceptives without the disease (P = 0.036). No difference was found in aminoterminal propeptide PF levels when comparing patients with early lesions of endometriosis and patients with unexplained infertility, the third control group. Aminoterminal propeptide PF levels of patients with endometriosis without early lesions were not different from PF levels in controls.ConclusionThe early lesion is an active stage of endometriosis, invading the extracellular matrix. In women with unexplained infertility active, microscopic endometriosis may be present.

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endometriosis

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

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