Young Ah Kim

High frequency of endometrial polyps in endometriosis

STUDY OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effectiveness of hysteroscopy and the frequency of endometrial polyps in women with endometriosis. DESIGN Retrospective clinical study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). SETTING Infertility unit at a university-affiliated hospital. PATIENTS One hundred eighty-three infertile women, 92 with endometriosis and 91 controls without the disease. INTERVENTION Laparoscopy and scoring of endometriosis according to the American Fertility Society classification, and confirmation of endometrial polyps by pathologic examination. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS There was no significant difference between groups with regard to age, mean duration of infertility, and frequency of primary or secondary infertility. Endometrial polyps were found in 43 women (46.7%) with endometriosis and in 15 controls (16.5%, p = 0.0000). Their frequency did not differ significantly according to stage of endometriosis. CONCLUSIONS We strongly recommend hysteroscopy if endometriosis is detected in a woman undergoing evaluation for infertility, even if hysterosalpingography and transvaginal ultrasonography do not suggest endometrial polyps.

Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Agonist Reduces Aromatase Cytochrome P450 and Cyclooxygenase-2 in Ovarian Endometrioma and Eutopic Endometrium of Patients with Endometriosis

Aims: To investigate whether the GnRH agonist may reduce aromatase P450 and COX-2 in the eutopic endometrium of patients with endometriosis and ovarian endometrioma. Materials and Methods: Endometrial specimens and ovarian endometrioma were obtained from 15 women with endometriosis undergoing laparoscopic surgery. The stromal cells of the eutopic endometrium and ovarian endometroma were cultured in the presence of the GnRH agonist (leuprolide acetate 0, 1, 5 and 10 μM) for 24 h. To investigate the effects of the GnRH agonist on the eutopic endometrium in vivo, biopsy samples of the endometrium (n = 5) among the patients who underwent laparoscopy were obtained after GnRH agonist therapy. The protein production of aromatase cytochrome P450 and COX-2 was examined by Western blot. Results: Proteins of aromatase P450 and COX-2 were reduced in the eutopic endometrium of patients with endometriosis treated with the GnRH agonist for 3 months. The stromal cells in the culture of endometrial explants and ovarian endometrioma which were treated with the GnRH agonist reduced the aromatase P450 and COX-2. Conclusion: The GnRH agonist reduced aromatase P450 and COX-2 by direct action on the eutopic endometrium of patients with endometriosis and ovarian endometrioma.

P-409: Role of ERK (Extracellular signal regulated kinas) and PPARγ (Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma) on TGF-β1 induced human endometrial stromal cell decidualization

Role of ERK (Extracellular Signal Regulated Kinas) and PPARγ (Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma) on TGF-β1 Induced Human Endometrial Stromal Cell Decidualization Hye Jin Chang, Jae Hoon Lee, Mi Ran Kim, Kyung Joo Hwang, Dong Wook Park, Churl K. Min 1Department Molecular Science and Technology, 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Ajou University, Suwon, Korea