Increased antinuclear (anti-Sm) antibodies in infertile patients with peritoneal endometriosis.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to evaluate the intensity of five antibodies against extractable nuclear antigens (ENA: RNP, ScL-70, SS-B, SS-A, and Sm) in infertile patients with endometriosis.

METHODS

We investigated infertile women with minimal/mild endometriosis (n=43) and fertile women (n=46).

RESULTS

The intensity of immunoreactions was also similar for anti-RNP and anti-SS-A antibodies. However, the intensity of immunoreactivity for anti-Sm antibodies was higher in the endometriosis group.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with minimal/mild endometriosis have higher levels of anti-Sm autoantibodies.