Association of endometrial polyps with STC‐1 and STC‐2 in infertile patients

Abstract

AbstractObjectiveThe present study aimed to evaluate the impact of endometrial polyps (EPs) on the endometrium of patients with unexplained infertility using stanniocalcin‐1 and ‐2 proteins (STC), whose effects on endometrial receptivity have been reported recently.Materials and MethodsA case–control study was performed, consisting of 26 patients who underwent endometrial sampling for diagnosis and/or treatment and diagnosed with EP on biopsy and/or excision material, and 23 patients with normal endometrial findings in the pathology, for a total of 49 patients with unexplained infertility. An immunohistochemistry examination was performed on paraffin‐embedded tissue samples from both groups to understand whether there was a relationship between EP and STC. Staining results of the polyp and control groups for STC‐1 and STC‐2 were compared, and it was investigated whether STCs were predictive for EP.ResultsIn the comparison performed between the H‐score evaluation results of the control and polyp groups after the immunohistochemical staining method, the staining in the polyp group was significantly higher for both STC‐1 (p < 0.001) and STC‐2 (p < 0.001). There was more staining with STC‐1 than STC‐2 in all groups (STC‐1: 15.08; STC‐2: 8.27; p < 0.05). In the logistic regression analysis established with STC‐1, STC‐2, and age, the predictive effect of STC‐1 for EP was statistically significant (p = 0.040; odds ratio: 1.66; 95% confidence interval: 1.02–2.68). In EP, according to receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, area under the curve was 0.980 (likelihood ratio: 20.35; p < 0.05), and the cut‐off value was 18 for STC‐1.ConclusionIn infertile patients, since STC‐1, which affects endometrial receptivity, is found to be significantly higher in polyps and has a predictive effect on polyps, in patients with unexplained infertility, routine uterine cavity evaluation and routine excision of polypoid lesions detected during this period may have a positive effect on endometrial receptivity.