Renin–Angiotensin–Aldosterone Axis Activity in Women with Chronic Endometritis: A Prospective Observational Study
Chronic endometritis (CE) is a persistent inflammatory disorder of the endometrium that is histopathologically characterized by CD138-positive plasma cells within the endometrial stroma. This study evaluated components of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in infertile women with CE. Thirty-nine infertile women undergoing diagnostic hysteroscopy with endometrial biopsy were included. A total of 21 women were classified as CE-positive and 18 as CE-negative. Fasting blood samples were collected 48 h before hysteroscopy (t1) and approximately 2.5 h before the procedure (t2) to assess plasma renin, serum aldosterone, the aldosterone-to-renin ratio (ARR), sodium, potassium, progesterone, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and IL-6. Exploratory analyses were performed according to the extent of CD138-positive plasma-cell infiltration (plasma-cell burden, stratified as <20 or ≥20 cells/high-power field) and persistence versus resolution of CE after antibiotic treatment. Baseline characteristics, including body mass index (BMI), infertility duration, and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), were comparable between groups. No significant differences in the parameters were observed between CE-positive and CE-negative women. No consistent RAAS or inflammatory differences emerged according to plasma-cell burden or CE persistence after treatment. These findings suggest that CE is not associated with measurable systemic RAAS activation or IL-6 changes, supporting the hypothesis of local CE alterations.
Authors
- Luciana Bordin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4238-3153)
- Eugenio Ragazzi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0390-6823)
- Alessandra Andrisani (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9428-4363)
- Giuseppe Gullo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4269-4269)
- Decio Armanini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6433-5155)
- Loris Marin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4771-031X)
- Chiara Sabbadin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1526-6832)
- Guido Ambrosini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6205-1856)
- Giulia Garbin
Institutions
- University of Padua (IT)
- Ospedale Vincenzo Cervello (IT)
- University of Palermo (IT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- International Journal of Molecular Sciences
- Published
- 2026-09-16
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27188256
- Primary Topic
- Reproductive System and Pregnancy
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00