Endometriosis and Complement System

Endometriosis is a chronic gynecological condition affecting nearly 10% of women of reproductive age. It has been reported to contribute to 21-47% of cases of female infertility and 71-87% of cases involving chronic pelvic pain. The definitive diagnosis of endometriosis requires laparoscopy. While CA-125 has diagnostic value, it is not specific to endometriosis. Therefore, studies are focused on identifying novel biomarkers to aid in the development of effective noninvasive diagnostic methods. Despite numerous theories, the etiopathogenesis of endometriosis remains incompletely understood. A distorted immune response is believed to play a crucial role in the pathophysiology of the condition. Regarding alterations in the classical and lectin-dependent complement systems, C3a, C3c, C4, and C5b-9 have been suggested to hold potential diagnostic value in endometriosis. Alternative pathway is another way for complement activation. This study aimed to investigate whether there are alterations in the levels of alternative complement molecules in both the blood serum and peritoneal fluid of patients diagnosed with endometriosis, comparing these levels to those found in healthy individuals. The research focused on understanding potential differences that could contribute to the pathophysiology of endometriosis, aiming to provide insights into the role of the alternative complement pathway in this gynecological condition.

Inclusion criteria

• Diagnosis of endometriosis for study group who underwent laparoscopic endometriosis surgery
• Healthy women for control group

Exclusion criteria

• Cardiovascular diseases including hypertension
• Type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus
• Morbid obesity
• Primary adrenal insufficiency
• Uterine fibroids
• Thyroid dysfunctions including Hashimoto thyroiditis and Grave's disease
• Hepatic dysfunctions
• Renal insufficiency
• Genetic disorders in chromosome constitution or karyotype analysis including monosomy X, trisomy X and gene mutations as BMP15, FMR I, POFIB, and GDF9
• Neurologic diseases
• Psychiatric disorders
• Autoimmune diseases or syndromes including Addison's disease, autoimmune syndromes, scleroderma, Sjogren's syndrome, myasthenia gravis, inflammatory bowel diseases, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and familial Mediterranean fever
• History of any malignancy
• History of exposure to chemotherapeutic agents or radiotherapy