[Investigation of erythrocyte immune function of patients with endometriosis].

OBJECTIVE: To study erythrocyte immune function of patients with endometriosis and explore the pathogenesis of endometriosis. METHODS: 38 patients with endometriosis diagnosed by laparoscopy or laparotomy and 21 normal women as the control were studied. The patients were divided into three groups by revised American Fertility Society (RAFS) classification: group one (stage I, II; n = 13), group two(stage III, n = 15), and group three(stage IV, n = 10). Using rosette formation test and polyethyleneglycol sedimentation methods, the erythrocyte immune function including C3b receptor rosette rate (C3bRR), immune complex rosette rate(ICR), erythrocyte rosette forming enhancing rate (RFER) and inhibitory rate (RFIR), and circulatory immune complex (CIC) was determined. RESULTS: The C3bRR, ICR, and RFER of group one, two, and three were decreased (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), and RFIR and CIC of group one, two, and three were increased (P < 0.05) when compared with those of the control. All parameters had no significant difference among group one, two and three. In addition, these parameters had no significant difference in infertile groups of endometriosis as compared with those of fertile group. CONCLUSION: The erythrocyte immune function of patients with endometriosis is depressed, resulting from decreased erythrocyte immune adherence enhancer and increased inhibitor. These changes of erythrocyte immune function may be related to the pathogenesis of endometriosis.