Interleukin in endometriosis-associated infertility-pelvic pain: systematic review and meta-analysis

Helena Malvezzi, Camila Hernandes, Hernandes C, Carla A Piccinato, Carla de Azevedo Piccinato, Piccinato CA, Sérgio Podgaec
Reproduction (Cambridge, England) · 2019 · vol. 158(1) , pp. 1–12 · doi:10.1530/rep-18-0618 · PMID:30933927 · W2934304523
Systematic review / meta-analysis OA: closed CC0 ⤵ 53 in-corpus citations
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This systematic review and meta-analysis found that elevated serum IL-6 and/or IL-8 concentrations are associated with endometriosis-associated infertility, but not with endometriosis-associated pain.

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Abstract

The objective is to study the significance of altered interleukin levels in endometriosis-related infertility or pelvic pain. The present systematic review and meta-analysis includes a discussion on the roles of interleukin in the physiopathology of endometriosis-associated infertility and/or pelvic pain. We included all studies in which interleukins in peritoneal fluid, follicular fluid or serum from patients were measured and that correlated the findings with either peritoneal or deep endometriosis-associated infertility or pelvic pain. For the meta-analysis, we selected studies on the following cytokines: interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-8 (IL-8). Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease. Inflammatory processes clearly participate in the etiology of endometriosis. Cytokines are mediators of inflammation, and increase in their concentration in plasma or other body fluids signals the presence and extent of tissue lesions. A number of studies have reported on the association between higher cytokine levels and progression or maintenance of endometriosis and coexisting infertility or pelvic pain. The results of the analyses support that an association exists between elevated serum IL-6 and/or IL-8 concentrations and the occurrence of endometriosis-associated infertility. Such association was not found for endometriosis-associated pain. In spite of accumulated evidence on the association of pro-inflammatory cytokines and endometriosis, it still is not clear if and how these mediators participate in the physiopathology of endometriosis-associated infertility or pelvic pain, in part due to poor quality of the evidence established in the vast majority of interleukins and challenges in endometriosis research reproducibility. In summary, the results of the analyses support that an association exists between elevated serum IL-6 and/or IL-8 concentrations and the occurrence of endometriosis-associated infertility.

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Condition tags

endometriosischronic_pelvic_paininfertility

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Infertility, Female Interleukins Pelvic Pain Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Female Female Humans Humans Infertility, Female Infertility, Female Infertility, Female Infertility, Female Interleukins Interleukins Pelvic Pain Pelvic Pain

Citation neighborhood (2-hop)

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 ]

References (62)

Cited by (50)

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