Immunohistochemistrical and Clinicopathological Characterization of Chronic Endometritis

Abstract

Citation Kitaya K, Yasuo T. Immunohistochemistrical and clinicopathological characterization of chronic endometritis. Am J Reprod Immunol 2011; 66: 410–415 Problem Chronic endometritis is an elusive entity that is often asymptomatic and undetectable by conventional endometrial biopsy and histological examination. Using immunohistochemistry for full-thickness endometrium, we sought for its clinicopathological features. Method of Study Two hundred and thirty-four archival endometrial specimens obtained by hysterectomy were immunostained for the plasmacyte marker syndecan-1 to identify chronic endometritis. Endometrial morphology was dated by the standard criteria. The immunoreactive cells were enumerated in 10 non-overlapping endometrial stromal areas. The clinical parameters were obtained from the medical charts. Results Chronic endometritis was identified in 11.1% of the samples examined. Its occurrence was similar between the proliferative phase and secretory phase. A total of 23.1% of the cases were asymptomatic. Stromal plasmacyte infiltration and morphological delay were more prominent in symptomatic chronic endometritis than in asymptomatic counterpart. Conclusions Chronic endometritis is a common gynecological pathological condition and more often asymptomatic than ever expected. There was no menstrual cycle-dependent fluctuation in its occurrence.