Abstract:

Objective To investigate the relationship between endometriosis and/or adenomyosis-related infertility and facial melanin pigment, and explore the phenotypic characteristics and possible mechanism of endometriosis and/or adenomyosis. Methods One hundred and fifty infertile women with endometriosis and/or adenomyosis (endometriosis and/or adenomyosis group) and two hundred infertile women without endometriosis and/or adenomyosis (control group) were selected. The age, body mass index (BMI), serum basic estradiol (E2) level and incidence of facial melanin pigment (positive rates) of two groups were analysed, and the serum E2 level, cancer antigen 125 (CA125) level and positive rates of anti-endometrial antibody (AEmAb) were compared between patients with positive facial melanin pigment and those with negative facial melanin pigment in endometriosis and/or adenomyosis group. Results The positive rate of facial melanin pigment of endometriosis and/or adenomyosis group was significantly higher than that in control group (47.33% vs 19.00%)(P<0.05). The positive rates of facial melanin pigment of patients of different age stages in endometriosis and/or adenomyosis group were significantly higher than those in control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in age, BMI and serum basic E2 level between two groups (P>0.05). The serum basic E2 level, CA125 level and positive rate of AEmAb of endometriosis and/or adenomyosis group were higher than those in control group, with no significant difference between two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion Endometriosis and/or adenomyosis may be related to facial melanin pigment. Whether facial melanin pigment is independent of basic estrogen level and reflects the condition of endometriosis and/or adenomyosis needs to be further studied.

Key words: endometriosis, adenomyosis, facial melanin pigment, hyperpigmentation