The effect of hysteroscopic polypectomy on the concentrations of tumour necrosis factor-α in uterine flushings and serum in infertile women

Abstract

Introduction/Objective The aim of this paper is to present changes of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels in uterine flushings and serum of infertile female patients before and after hysteroscopic polypectomy.

Methods A total of 82 infertile female patients were included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups. The first group was the experimental group and comprised 56 infertile women with endometrial polyps, whereas the second group was the control group of 26 infertile women who were not diagnosed with endometrial polyps.

Results The results of this research primarily suggest that TNF-α concentrations obtained from uterine flushings and serum of infertile patients diagnosed with endometrial polyps differed before and after a surgical procedure. In the control group of patients, there was no significant difference observed regarding TNF-α concentrations in serum and uterine flushings of women without endometrial polyps. A comparison between these two groups revealed differences in TNF-α concentrations in both venous blood and uterine flushings. These differences were considered statistically significant.

Conclusion Endometrial polyps are one of the causes of higher TNF-α levels in both uterine flushings and serum.

Keywords: cytokines; TNF-α; endometrial polyp; uterine flushings; serum