Diagnostic Accuracy of MUM1 (IRF4) Immunohistochemistry in Chronic Endometritis: A Systematic Review and Bayesian...

Background/Objectives: Chronic endometritis (CE) is an underrecognized inflammatory disorder associated with infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, and implantation failure. CD138 immunohistochemistry is widely used to detect endometrial plasma cells; however, background epithelial staining and interobserver variability may limit diagnostic precision. MUM1 (IRF4), a nuclear transcription factor expressed in plasma cells, has emerged as a potential complementary marker. We aimed to systematically evaluate the diagnostic performance of MUM1 immunohistochemistry relative to CD138-based histopathologic reference frameworks for chronic endometritis using a Bayesian meta-analytic framework. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and diagnostic test accuracy meta-analysis in accordance with PRISMA 2020 and PRISMA-DTA guidelines. MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and CENTRAL were searched from inception to 28 February 2026. Studies assessing MUM1 immunohistochemistry against predefined histopathologic reference frameworks for CE were eligible. Risk of bias was evaluated using QUADAS-2. A bivariate Bayesian random-effects model was applied to jointly estimate pooled sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios, and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR). Results: Six studies (n = 1574 women) were included in the qualitative synthesis, and four provided sufficient 2 × 2 data for quantitative pooling. The pooled sensitivity of MUM1 was 0.876 (95% credible interval (CrI): 0.536-0.976), and the pooled specificity was 0.853 (95% CrI: 0.653-0.930). The pooled positive likelihood ratio was 5.83 (95% CrI: 2.18-12.04), and the negative likelihood ratio was 0.15 (95% CrI: 0.03-0.56), corresponding to a DOR of 40.27 (95% CrI: 5.04-254.59). Credible intervals were wide, reflecting statistical uncertainty related to the limited number of studies and heterogeneity in diagnostic thresholds. Conclusions: MUM1 (IRF4) immunohistochemistry demonstrates potentially favorable comparative diagnostic performance relative to CD138-based reference frameworks, although substantial uncertainty remains due to limited and heterogeneous evidence. As an adjunctive nuclear marker, MUM1 may support histopathologic assessment of chronic endometritis; however, prospective head-to-head studies using harmonized diagnostic criteria and predefined plasma cell thresholds are required before routine implementation can be firmly recommended.