[Prostanoids of the peritoneal fluid and sterility with or without pelvic lesions (endometriosis, postinfectious adhesions)]

Abstract

Peritoneal fluid levels of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha, TxB2, PGE2 and PGF2 alpha were measured in 62 infertile women undergoing coelioscopy. In 10 patients with mild endometriosis, the levels of all prostanoids were significantly enhanced as compared to control group (15 infertile patients without pelvic lesion). In 5 patients with moderate endometriosis, only PGF2 alpha exhibited a significant enhancement. The results confirmed the prostanoid component alteration of peritoneal fluid in infertile women with mild or moderate endometriosis, which however not has been found by all authors. In 6 patients with chronic salpingitis, no difference was found in prostanoid levels as compared to control group. The 26 patients with pelvic adhesions were distributed in 3 groups on the criterion of easy lysed or not adhesions. In group I (not lysed adhesions, 7 patients), no difference was found in prostanoid levels as compared to control group. In group II (mixed adhesions, 13 patients), the levels of all prostanoids, particularly 6-keto-PGF1 alpha, were significantly higher than that found in control group. In group III (easy lysed adhesions, 6 patients), the levels of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha, TxB2 and particularly PGF2 alpha were significantly enhanced as compared to control group. The results of this study suggest that prostanoids are implicated in physiopathology of endometriosis and pelvic adhesions and perhaps in mechanism of the associated infertility.