performance of circulating placental growth factor as a screening marker for diagnosis of ovarian endometriosis: a pilot study

background: the aim of this study is to compare the circulating placental growth factor (plgf) concentration in women with and without endometrioma to verify the performance of this marker to diagnose the disease. materials and methods: in this case-control study, thirteen women with histological diagnosis of ovarian endometriosis were compared with women without endometriosis disease. plgf plasma levels of endometriotic patients and controls were investigated using a fluorescence immunoassay technique. results: plgf showed a direct correlation with body mass index (bmi) only in the control group (p=0.013). after adjustment for bmi values, plgf median value in endometriosis group (14.7 pg/ml) resulted higher than in control group (13.8 pg/ ml, p=0.004). conclusion: plgf is a promising peripheral blood marker that can discriminate between patients with and without ovarian endometriosis.