Measurable serum markers of oxidative stress response in women with endometriosis

Objective

To evaluate the hypothesis of increased systemic oxidative stress in patients with endometriosis.

Setting

Tertiary care university hospital.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Patient(s)

Sixty-six women of reproductive age undergoing laparoscopy.

Intervention(s)

All women were investigated for endometriotic foci during laparoscopy. Forty-five women had laparoscopically and histologically confirmed endometriosis, and 21 women did not have endometriosis.

Main Outcome Measure(s)

Four markers of oxidative stress were assessed in the serum of each patient: heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), HSP70b′, thioredoxin (TRX), and ischemia-modified albumin (IMA).

Result(s)

Mean serum HSP 70b′ level was higher in patients with endometriosis compared with controls (0.178 ng/mL, SD 0.103, and 0.135 ng/mL, SD 0.014, respectively). The disease stage did not affect HSP70b′ levels. Heat shock protein 70, IMA, and TRX levels did not differ between patients with endometriosis and controls. Women with a history of arterial hypertension had higher mean IMA levels compared with women with normal blood pressure independently of the presence of endometriosis (106.7 [SD 25.4] U/mL and 85.0 [SD 11.5] U/mL, respectively).

Conclusion(s)

Endometriosis is associated with increased systemic oxidative stress. The implication of increased systemic oxidative stress in disease progression or the association with other oxidative stress–related pathologic conditions needs to be addressed in further studies.

Key Words: Oxidative stress, endometriosis, heat shock proteins, ischemia-modified albumin, thioredoxin