Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist treatment reduced serum interleukin-6 concentrations in patients with ovarian endometriomas

Objective: To determine whether serum interleukin (IL)-6 can be measured in patients with ovarian endometriomas and whether these measurements are useful in managing this disease. Design: A controlled clinical study and an in vitro study. Setting: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tottori University, Japan. Patient(s): Twenty-two patients with ovarian endometriomas. Intervention(s): Laparoscopic cystectomy for ovarian endometriomas was performed. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist was administered for 3 months in nine patients before laparoscopic surgery. Endometriotic stromal cells obtained from patients with endometriornas with or without GnRH agonist treatment were cultured. Main Outcome Measure(s): IL-6 concentrations in serum or supernatant of the cell culture were measured using ELISA. Result(s): The serum concentration of IL-6 in patients with endometriornas was higher at the time of diagnosis than in those without endometriomas. Laparoscopic surgery significantly reduced serum levels of IL-6. Serum IL-6 concentrations also decreased after treatment with GnRH agonist. IL-6 production was attenuated in the endometriotic stromal cells obtained from patients with GnRH agonist treatment compared with patients without such treatment. Conclusion(s): GnRH agonist treatment may decrease IL-6 production in endometriotic cells. Measurement of serum IL-6 concentrations may be of value in managing patients with endometrionnas. (C) 2003 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.