Mononuclear cell beta-endorphin concentration in women with and without endometriosis.
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Abstract
Seventy-five consecutive patients undergoing laparoscopy for chronic pelvic pain and/or infertility were studied to test whether beta-endorphin concentrations in peripheral mononuclear cells differed according to the presence or absence of endometriosis. Endometriosis was diagnosed in 45 subjects (minimal in 24, mild in 11, moderate in four, and severe in six). Twenty-eight women (62%) with endometriosis and ten (33%) without the disease reported moderate or severe pelvic pain. beta-Endorphin levels were lower in the endometriosis group than in the controls (16.6 +/- 11.2 versus 21.9 +/- 10.5 pg/10(6) cells; P less than .01). This decrease was attributable to reduced beta-endorphin concentrations in the endometriosis patients with moderate or severe pain compared with symptomatic controls (15.5 +/- 10.0 versus 26.3 +/- 7.0 pg/10(6) cells; P less than .01). A significant difference was also found in relation to the cycle phase: The opioid concentration was reduced in the luteal phase in the endometriosis group compared with controls (14.4 +/- 8.4 versus 23.8 +/- 7.5 pg/10(6) cells; P less than .01), but no differences were demonstrated in the follicular and periovulatory phases. beta-Endorphin is capable of modulating the immune response and can be considered as a classical cytokine. Low beta-endorphin production during the luteal phase may have implications in the development and/or maintenance of endometriosis.
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Cited by (22)
- The evolutionary biology of endometriosis 2021
- Blood biomarkers for the non-invasive diagnosis of endometriosis 2016
- Endometriosis Is Associated With a Shift in MU Opioid and NMDA Receptor Expression in the Brain Periaqueductal Gray 2016
- Endometriose 2016
- The role and significance of endomorphin-1 and μ-opioid receptor in rats with endometriosis 2016
- Endometriose: Pathogenese, Symptome und Diagnostik 2015
- Literature Review on Biological Effects of against Gynaecological Diseases 2013
- Peripheral biomarkers of endometriosis: a systematic review 2010
- Pelvic pain in endometriosis: Painkillers or sport to alleviate symptoms? 2010
- Association between endometriosis stage, lesion type, patient characteristics and severity of pelvic pain symptoms: a multivariate analysis of over 1000 patients 2006
- Documenting the Current Definitions of Chronic Pelvic Pain: Implications for Research 2004
- Endometriosis 2003
- Ultrasound Characteristics of Endometriosis 2003
- Theories of endometriosis 2001
- Is endometriosis an endometrial disease? 2000
- Behandlung der Endometriose 1999
- The role of laparoscopy in the management of pelvic pain in women of reproductive age 1997
- of pelvic pain in women 1997
- Pain relief after combined medical and laparoscopic conservative treatment of stage III–IV endometriosis: A comparison with medical therapy 1996
- Immunological aspects of endometriosis 1996
- Effect of Nei-Yi Recipe (内异方) on plasma β-endorphin level during menstrual cycle in women with endometriosis 1995
- The Role of Medical Management in the Treatment of Endometriosis 1995
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