Measurement of Serum and Peritoneal Levels of Amyloid Protein A and Their Importance in the Diagnosis of Pelvic Endometriosis

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate serum and peritoneal concentrations of amyloid protein A in women with endometriosis and to compare them with those of women without endometriosis. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective study evaluated 76 women suspected of having pelvic endometriosis. Fifty-seven women (group A) were confirmed by videolaparoscopy and had their serum and peritoneal amyloid A concentrations measured by procedure of evaluating the peritoneal amyloid A concentration in endometriosis merits further investigation. ELISA. The average levels from group A were compared to those obtained in group B. Group B was composed of 13 women without endometriosis, submitted to elective laparoscopy for tubal ligation. RESULTS: Peritoneal amyloid A concentrations in group A (310.3 +/- 97.8 ng/mL) were higher than those of group B (53.4 +/- 58.2 ng/mL); p = 0.0. However, serum concentrations in groups A (14.01 +/- 32.3 ng/mL) and B (9.5 +/- 15.9 ng/mL) did not differ significantly; p = 0.35. CONCLUSION: The peritoneal amyloid A protein concentration in pelvic endometriosis was higher when compared to normal controls, corroborating the inflammatory nature of the disease. This finding suggests that the procedure of evaluating the peritoneal amyloid A concentration in endometriosis merits further investigation.