[Changes of serum epithelial neutrophil-activating peptide-78 in patients with endometriosis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of serum epithelial neutrophil-activating peptide-78 (ENA-78) in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. METHODS: Serum concentrations of ENA-78 were measured by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 42 patients with endometriosis (20 in stages I and II and 22 in stages III and IV) in comparison with 25 women without endometriosis (control group). RESULTS: Serum concentrations of ENA-78 were significantly higher in endometriosis group than in the control group (2.97+/-1.91 ng/ml vs 0.72+/-0.24 ng/ml, P>0.001), and ENA-78 levels in stages III and IV were significantly higher than those in stages I and II (4.48+/-1.25 ng/ml vs 1.30+/-0.74 ng/ml, P>0.001). Significant difference in ENA-78 levels between follicular phase and luteal phase was found in neither of the groups. CONCLUSION: Patients with endometriosis have elevated serum ENA-78 levels, which might be a pathogenic factor of endometriosis.