Kisspeptin Serum Levels in Patients with Endometriosis, New Research Pathways Regarding Female Infertility

Abstract

Introduction:Endometriosis is defined by the presence of endometrial tissue outside the uterus, therefore leading to a chronic inflammatory reaction, adhesions development, scar tissue and a distorted pelvic female anatomy, most of the times leading to female infertility. Kisspeptin represents a neuropeptide thought to have an essential role in the reproductive functions of both female and male patients. Recently, positive correlations with kisspeptins were noticed in patients diagnosed with endometriosis. Materials and methods: Our study was performed between January 2021-March 2022 in "Elena Doamna" Clinical Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology Iasi, Romania. It was a prospective case-control study and included two groups of patients. Both groups consisted in female patients aged between 18 and 45 years, with a body mass index (BMI) between 18,5-30 kg/m2 and similar medical data. Patients in the study group had primary or secondary infertility and endometriosis, while the control group consisted of women with no reproductive issues who had healthy regular menstruations and at least one child. All patients agreed to participate in our study and signed the consent form. Clinical examination, pelvic ultrasound and hormonal dosages were performed. We tested the levels of LH, FSH, kisspeptin, estradiol, prolactin, testosterone, insulin and the glycemic levels in both groups during the follicular phase of their menstrual cycle. Results: We managed to enroll eight patients with endometriosis in the study group and an equal number of patients in the control group. There were significant differences between serum kisspeptin levels, but not also between other hormonal dosages. All patients in the study group had medical evidences of endometriomas but none of them had been subjected to laparoscopy. Conclusion:When considering our study, we regarded the first attribution given to kisspeptin, the one of a metastasis suppressor, and concluded that the high serum values of kisspeptin in patients with endometriosis represented a compensatory-adaptive mechanism needed to constrain future spread of endometriomas in early stages of this pathology.

TABLE 1.

Comparisons between control group and study group