Serum dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls, and endometriosis: A case-control study in Atlanta

Endometriosis among women of reproductive age can result in pain and infertility. The objectives of this study were to test if there is a relation between endo metriosis and serum dioxin concentrations as expressed by total toxic equivalence and serum total poly chlorinated biphenyl concentrations among women patients at one Atlanta reproductive medicine clinic during 1998-1999; a secondary objective was to pro vide exposure data for individual congeners of these chemicals and 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane (p,p'-DDE)in women in Atlanta. Laparoscopy including biopsy and visualization of the peritonealcavity, ovaries, outside of the fallopian tubes and uterus con firmed all endo metriosis cases (n = 60) and con firmed 30 controls with out endo metriosis. Other controls had an infertile partner (n = 27) or ovulation problems (n = 7) with no signs or symptoms of endo metriosis. All serum samples were analyzed at the U.S.Centers for Disease Con trol and Prevention in 2003. Statistical analyses included Fisher's exact chi-square tests and logistic regression. Models were presented for the full study sample and for the sub set that included all cases (n = 60) and only controls (n = 30) with surgical confirmation of disease-free status. Serum concentrations (lipid-adjusted and non lipid-adjusted) of analyzed expo sure measures were low and similar for cases and controls and did not explain endo metriosis in the study population. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.