Nickel Allergy as a Risk Factor for Endometriosis Original paper
Researched by:
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Karen Pendergrass
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Karen Pendergrass
Karen Pendergrass is a microbiome researcher specializing in microbiome-targeted interventions (MBTIs). She systematically analyzes scientific literature to identify microbial patterns, develop hypotheses, and validate interventions. As the founder of the Microbiome Signatures Database, she bridges microbiome research with clinical practice. In 2012, based on her own investigative research, she became the first documented case of FMT for Celiac Disease—four years before the first published case study.
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Karen Pendergrass
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Karen Pendergrass
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Metals
Metals
OverviewHeavy metals play a significant and multifaceted role in the pathogenicity of microbial species. Their involvement can be viewed from two primary perspectives: the toxicity of heavy metals to microbes and the exploitation of heavy metals by microbial pathogens to establish infections and evade the host immune response. Understanding these aspects is critical for both […]
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Endometriosis
Endometriosis
Endometriosis involves ectopic endometrial tissue causing pain and infertility. Validated and Promising Interventions include Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), Low Nickel Diet, and Metronidazole therapy.
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Karen Pendergrass
Researched by:
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Karen Pendergrass
ID
Karen Pendergrass
Fact-checked by:
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Karen Pendergrass
ID
Karen Pendergrass
Microbiome Signatures identifies and validates condition-specific microbiome shifts and interventions to accelerate clinical translation. Our multidisciplinary team supports clinicians, researchers, and innovators in turning microbiome science into actionable medicine.
Karen Pendergrass
What Was Studied?
This study examined the association between nickel allergy and endometriosis using a population-based nested case-control design. The research aimed to determine whether nickel allergy is an independent risk factor for endometriosis by analyzing a cohort dataset provided by the South Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS), which included approximately 1 million individuals. The study was designed to assess causality and improve upon previous correlational studies.
Who Was Studied?
The study included 4,985 women divided into two groups: 997 women with endometriosis and 3,988 controls matched by age and socioeconomic status. The endometriosis group was identified using diagnostic codes, surgery records, and drug prescriptions between 2009 and 2013, while nickel allergy cases were identified between 2002 and 2008 using specific diagnostic and patch test codes.
What Were the Most Important Findings?
The findings revealed that women with endometriosis had a significantly higher prevalence of nickel allergy (0.8%) compared to the control group (0.3%), with an adjusted odds ratio of 2.474 (95% CI: 1.023–5.988; p = 0.044). The study highlights the estrogenic and immune-modulating properties of nickel, suggesting that elevated blood nickel levels associated with nickel allergy may contribute to endometriosis pathogenesis. Both conditions share immunological mechanisms, including cell-mediated hypersensitivity and immune dysregulation. The study also emphasizes the activity of nickel as a metalloestrogen, which may influence endometriosis through its interaction with estrogen receptors. Despite its low clinical prevalence, the findings support nickel allergy as a potential contributing factor to endometriosis, particularly in the context of autoimmune and estrogenic pathways.
What Are the Greatest Implications of This Study?
This study underscores the link between environmental factors, such as nickel exposure, and the development of endometriosis. Identifying nickel allergy as a risk factor paves the way for further research into environmental triggers and immune-mediated mechanisms in endometriosis. These findings could lead to targeted prevention strategies, such as reducing nickel exposure in at-risk populations, and inform therapeutic approaches that address immune and estrogenic pathways in endometriosis management.
Endometriosis
Endometriosis involves ectopic endometrial tissue causing pain and infertility. Validated and Promising Interventions include Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), Low Nickel Diet, and Metronidazole therapy.
Nickel
Bacteria regulate transition metal levels through complex mechanisms to ensure survival and adaptability, influencing both their physiology and the development of antimicrobial strategies.
Metalloestrogens
Metalloestrogens are metals that activate the estrogen receptor in the absence of estradiol.