Papers of the Week

: Immunological imbalances characteristic of endometriosis may develop as early as the primary manifestations of the disease in adolescence. : To evaluate subpopulation dynamics of monocytes and lymphocytes in peripheral blood and peritoneal fluid of adolescents with peritoneal endometriosis at diagnosis and after 1-year progestogen therapy. : This study included 70 girls, 13-17 years old, diagnosed laparoscopically with peritoneal endometriosis ( = 50, main group) or paramesonephric cysts ( = 20, comparison group). Phenotypes of monocytes and lymphocytes of the blood and macrophages of the peritoneal fluid were analyzed by flow cytometry at diagnosis and during progestogen therapy. : Differential blood counts of CD16 ( < 0.001) and CD86 ( = 0.017) monocytes were identified as independent risk factors for peritoneal endometriosis in adolescents. During the treatment, cytotoxic lymphocytes CD56dimCD16bright ( = 0.049) and CD206+ monocytes ( < 0.001) significantly increased while CD163+ monocytes decreased in number ( = 0.017). The CD56dimCD16bright blood counts before ( < 0.001) and during progestogen therapy ( = 0.006), as well as CD206 blood counts during the treatment ( = 0.038), were associated with the efficacy of pain relief after 1-year progestogen therapy. : Adolescents with peritoneal endometriosis have altered counts of pro- and anti-inflammatory monocytes and lymphocytes both before and after 1-year progestogen therapy, correlating with treatment efficacy and justifying long-term hormonal therapy.