Functional aspects of peritoneal macrophages in endometriosis of women.

Peritoneal fluid was collected in the periovulatory phase of the cycle from 25 women undergoing laparoscopy. Endometriosis was diagnosed in 13 patients (AFS score 1, N = 9; AFS score 2, N = 4) and 12 patients without endometriosis served as controls. In endometriosis patients the total peritoneal fluid cell number and cell concentration was significantly higher than in controls, indicating peritoneal irritation by endometrial implants. Peritoneal fluid macrophages in patients with endometriosis showed significantly increased erythrophagocytosis and lower chemiluminescence than in controls, suggesting an advanced differentiation of the macrophages in endometriosis patients. The macrophages in this stage of differentiation may interfere with gametes and embryos and thus contribute to endometriosis-associated subfertility.