Serum concentration of protein CA-125 in women with pelvic inflammatory disease.

The concentration of the protein CA-125 in serum was determined in women with a normal pelvis visualized at laparoscopy (control group, n = 15) and compared with serum levels of this protein in women with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) (n = 14). Mean serum concentrations of CA-125 were similar in the two groups: 17.4 +/- 2.3 (SE) units/ml for the control group vs. 17.0 +/- 4.3 units/ml for those with PID (P greater than 0.05). In addition, women with chlamydial cervicitis, histologically confirmed endometritis, and laparoscopically documented salpingitis had CA-125 levels that were not significantly different from those of controls. We conclude that serum levels of CA-125 will not be useful in the diagnosis of PID.