Endometrial polyps prevent embryo implantation via creatine and lactate pathways

This study was planned to investigate the concentration of basic endometrial metabolites such as endometrial choline (Cho), creatine (Cr) and lactate in subfertile women diagnosed with endometrial polyps.

Twenty patients with endometrial polyps detected in routine infertility evaluation and 20 fertile control patients with at least two children were included in the study. The endometrium of the patients in both groups was subjected to spectroscopy at mid-luteal phase and Cho, Cr, and lactate signals were recorded as a ppm.

Compared to the fertile group, a decrease in Cr signal and an increase in lactate signal were detected in patients with endometrial polyp. Cho densities of both groups were found to be similar. The Cho peak of patients with endometrial polyp was 3.01 ± 1.22 ppm, while the Cho peak of the control patients was 2.90 ± 1.13 ppm. The Cr peak of patients with endometrial polyp was 1.36 ± 0.33 ppm, while the Cr peak of the control patients was 1.99 ± 0.02 ppm. The lactate peak of patients with endometrial polyp was 0.87± 0.10 ppm, while the lactate peak of the control patients was 0.54 ± 0.32 ppm.

Decreased Cr and increased lactate signals may be evidence of impaired receptivity in subfertile patients with endometrial polyps.