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Study Question: Are the levels of total circulating cell-derived microparticles (cMPs) and circulating tissue factor-containing microparticles (cMP-TF) increased in patients with endometriosis?Summary Answer: The levels of total cMP, but not cMP-TF, were higher in patients with endometriosis, and these were attributed to higher levels in patients with deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE).What Is Known Already: Previous studies have reported elevated levels of total cMP in inflammatory conditions as well as higher levels of other inflammatory biomarkers in endometriosis. Increased expression of tissue factor (a transmembrane receptor for Factor VII/VIIa) in eutopic and ectopic endometrium from patients with endometriosis has been described. There is no previous data regarding total cMP and cMP-TF levels in patients with endometriosis.Study Design, Size, Duration: A prospective case-control study including two groups of patients was carried out. The E group included 65 patients with surgically confirmed endometriosis (37 with DIE lesions) and the C group comprises 33 women without surgical findings of any form of endometriosis. Patients and controls were recruited during the same 10-month period. Controls were the next patient without endometriosis undergoing surgery, after including two patients with endometriosis.Participants/materials, Setting, Methods: Venous blood samples for total cMP and cMP-TF determinations were obtained at the time of surgery, before anesthesia at a tertiary care center. To assess total cMP, an ELISA functional assay was used and cMP-TF activity in plasma was measured using an ELISA kit.Main Results and the Role Of Chance: Total cMP levels in plasma were higher in the E group compared with the C group (P < 0.0001). The subanalysis of endometriosis patients with DIE or with ovarian endometriomas without DIE showed that total cMP levels were higher in the DIE group (P = 0.001). There were no statistically significant differences in cMP-TF levels among the groups analyzed.Limitations, Reasons For Caution: This is a preliminary study in which the sample size was arbitrarily decided, albeit in keeping with previous studies analyzing cMP in other inflammatory diseases and other biomarkers in endometriosis. The control group included patients with other pathologies as well as healthy controls, and blood samples were taken at different phases of the cycle.Wider Implications Of the Findings: Elevated total cMP levels in DIE patients may reflect an inflammatory and/or procoagulant systemic status in these patients. Further studies are warranted to confirm our findings and to assess the role of cMP levels in the pathophysiology of DIE.Study Funding/competing Interests: This study was supported in part by a grant from FIS-PI11/01560 and FIS-PI11/00977 within the 'Plan Nacional de I + D + I' and co-funded by the 'ISCIII-Subdirección General de Evaluación' and 'Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER)' and by the grant 'Premi Fi de Residència Emili Letang 2015' from the Hospital Clínic of Barcelona. The authors have no competing interests to disclose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Question: Are the levels of circulating cell-derived microparticles (cMPs) in patients with recurrent miscarriage (RM) associated with the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS)?Summary Answer: cMPs in women with RM are not associated with antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs).What Is Known Already: Previous studies have focused on cMP levels in RM patients. Most studies have shown higher levels of cMPs in RM patients whereas others have reported lower levels. Data regarding cMPs in patients with the APS are scanty in the literature.Study Design, Size, Duration: A case-control study including three groups of patients. A total of 154 women were prospectively recruited from September 2009 to October 2013. Four patients refused to participate. The APS group consisted of 50 women that had been previously diagnosed with primary APS and had had ≥3 consecutive first trimester miscarriages. The uRM group included 52 couples with ≥3 consecutive first trimester miscarriages of unknown etiology. The fertile control (FER) group was composed of 52 healthy fertile women with no history of pregnancy losses. Miscarriage was defined as intrauterine pregnancy loss at <10 weeks' size on ultrasound.Participants/materials, Setting, Methods: Venous blood samples for coagulation studies and cMP determinations were obtained. All patients underwent a thrombophilia study.Main Results and the Role Of Chance: cMP levels were significantly higher in the APS and uRM groups versus the FER group (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.009, respectively) (cMP number × 10(3)/ml plasma [mean ± SD]: APS: 18.5 ± 13.6; uRM: 16.3 ± 13.8; FER: 9.7 ± 4.6). There were no statistically significant differences in cMP levels between the APS and uRM groups.Limitations, Reasons For Caution: The sample size was arbitrarily decided according to previous studies analyzing cMPs in RM patients. Different cMP subtypes were not investigated.Wider Implications Of the Findings: The present study adds further data on the subject showing that patients with RM, irrespective of testing positive for aPLs, have increased levels of cMPs compared with healthy fertile controls. The presence of elevated cMPs in RM women may reflect an ongoing systemic pathological, albeit asymptomatic, status that can become deleterious in the setting of pregnancy.Study Funding/competing Interests: This study was supported in part by grant from FIS-PI11/01560 within the 'Plan Nacional de I+D+I' and co-funded by the 'ISCIII-Subdirección General de Evaluación' and the 'Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER)'. The authors have no competing interests to disclose.Trial Registration Number: Not applicable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]