Decreased serum nesfatin-1 levels in endometriosis

OBJECTIVE(S): To investigate serum nesfatin-1 levels in endometriosis patients. STUDY DESIGN: Twenty-five women who were laparoscopically and histopathologically diagnosed with endometriosis (endometriosis group) and 25 women without any pelvic pathology detected by laparoscopy (control group) were enrolled in the study. Serum nesfatin-1 levels were compared between the two groups before and after adjustment for body mass index (BMI) and age. RESULTS: Patients in the endometriosis group had lower BMI than those in the control group (22.3 ± 4.8 kg/m(2) vs. 25.8 ± 4.2 kg/m(2), p=0.009). There was no statistically significant correlation between BMI and serum nesfatin-1 levels (p=0.870). Serum nesfatin-1 level was statistically significantly lower in the endometriosis group than in the control group (7.2 ± 1.3 pg/ml vs. 10.6 ± 2.8 pg/ml, p=0.0001). This result did not change after the adjustment for BMI and age. CONCLUSION(S): Serum levels of nesfatin-1 are decreased in endometriosis patients but its exact role in the etiopathogenesis of endometriosis remains to be clarified.