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Prepared by: Daniela Cihakova MD, PhD Modified from
orignal
Oophoritis is an autoimmune disease. Autoimmune
oophoritis is characterized by lymphocytic infiltration.
Definition:
Autoimmune oophoritis is a disease of women caused by
autoimmune inflammation of ovaries resulting in their
destruction, atrophy, and fibrosis with a loss of fertility
and ovary hormonal production.
Description: Autoimmune oophoritis is a causes
premature ovarian failure (POF) in 10 percent of cases.
Women with POF have premature menopause before 40 years of
age (secondary amenorrhea). They stop menstruating, they are
infertile, and they have deficient estrogen and
progesterone. There is a clear association between
serum adrenal cortex autoantibodies and the presence of
histologically confirmed autoimmune oophoritis.
Symptoms:
- Primary amenorrhea (menstruation has never
occurred),
- secondary amenorrhea (menstruation appeared at
puberty but subsequently stopped),
- infertility, and
- sex hormone deficiency
Diagnosis: StCA autoantibodies or antibodies
are good predictive markers for future gonadal failure. In
studies, ovarian laparoscopy biopsy is provided, but it is
not routine since no treatment is available.
Treatment: No immunosuppressive has been
proven safe and effective by prospective randomized
placebo-controlled study. There are few reports on a
successful ovulation-inducing treatment with high dosages of
corticosteroids. However because of risks, long term
prednisone treatment is not routinely used. Hormone
replacement therapy is used, but it can not return
fertility.
Pathogenesis: Oophoritis is an autoimmune
disease. Autoimmune oophoritis is characterized by
lymphocytic infiltration. |