Lipid peroxidation in the peritoneal fluid of infertile women with peritoneal endometriosis

Objective: To assess the level of lipid peroxidation in the peritoneal fluid of infertile women with peritoneal endometriosis and of fertile disease-free controls. Study design: Level of lipid peroxidation (malondialdeyde, malondialdeyde with copper addition, and cholest-3,5-dien-7-one) was measured in the peritoneal fluid obtained from 21 women with endometriosis-related infertility and from 21 fertile women having tubal ligation. Results: The level of lipid peroxidation did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) according to the stage of endometriosis. The level of lipid peroxidation (malondialdeyde, malondialdeyde with the addition of copper, and cholest-3,5-dien-7-one) did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) between patients with endometriosis-related infertility (0.07 nmol/ml, 0.34 nmol/ml, 0.24 mu g/ml, respectively) and disease-free controls (0.04 nmol/ml, 0.21 nmol/ml, 0.25 mu g/ml, respectively). Conclusion: The level of lipid peroxidation did not differ between women with endometriosis-related infertility and fertile disease-free controls, suggesting that increased reactive oxygen species may not be one of the factors responsible for compromised fertility in patients with endometriosis. (c) 2004 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.