Causes
Autoimmune oophoritis is a rare cause of primary ovarian insufficiency disease (POI). It happens when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the ovaries causing inflammation, spasm, atrophy, and fibrosis. These changes stop the ovaries from working normally.
The underlying cause of autoimmune oophoritis is yet unknown. However, it is known that it can co-exist with lupus, pernicious anemia, myasthenia gravis, or other autoimmune conditions are responsible. Autoimmune oophoritis can also be associated with autoimmune endocrinopathy syndrome type I and type II.[rx] These conditions can in exist because they are all autoimmune diseases, this is called polyautoimmunity disease. There are some environmental causes for autoimmune diseases that have been discovered in different studies. Those consist of exposures to chemicals in the environment, such as vinyl chloride, metals, mycotoxins, and organic compounds.[rx]
As Autoimmune oophoritis often attack in the setting of autoimmune polyendocrine syndromes (APS), mutations in AIRE or HLA-DR3/4 can contribute to its pathology.[rx]
Symptoms
Autoimmune oophoritis can present with a wide variety of symptoms. It begins with the main symptom, which is menorrhea, anemea where there is irregular or no menstrual period at all. Other symptoms are related to ovarian cysts, spasm and more common ones are also listed below. A variety of symptoms can occur together, however, that depends on the person and the severity of the disease.
- Primary amenorrhea – This amenorrhea is more specific to menstruation never occurring before.
- Secondary amenorrhea – This type of amenorrhea is where menstruation occurred once puberty began but then suddenly stopped later on.
- Infertility
- Cramping
- Bloating
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Sex hormone deficiency
- Hot flushes
- Lower abdominal pain
- Fever
- Malaise
- Vaginal discharge
- Symptoms associated with other coexisting autoimmune conditions
Diagnosis
Diagnosis includes a blood test that looks for anti-steroid or anti-ovarian antibodies[rx] or others disease conditions in the bloodstream to confirm infertility in the female .
CBC, ESR, Hb and Antibodies test result as a response to an infection that the body has already foughting. Anti-ovarian antibodies are found against the ovaries, they bind to the working sites of the ovaries and other problem. According to research, anti-ovarian antibodies cause malfunctions in the ovulation process.[rx]
Pelvic ultrasounds are also done to look for enlarged cystic ovaries and other abnormality. In other cases, biopsies may be required in order to confirm the diagnosis. Another type of test could be done to findout other issues that can be a part of primary ovarian insufficiency (POI).[rx]
Treatment
There is no specific treatment for autoimmune oophoritis still now. Nor is there an immunosuppressive that has been shown to be effective treatment and safe. However, affected women are usually started on hormone replacement therapies, or corticosteroids to achieve immunosuppression may be prescribe your doctor. A few side effects associated with hormone replacement therapies are breast cancer, endometrial cancer, and ovarian cancer.[rx] Women with this disease need a lot of emotional support and should maintain management of other autoimmune conditions.
