Expression of oxytocin receptors in the uterine junctional zone in women with adenomyosis

Objective To compare the expression of oxytocin receptor in the uterine junctional zone of the fundus and isthmus in the proliferative and secretory phases in women with and without adenomyosis. Design Experimental prospective clinical study. Setting Tertiary gynecologic medical center. Population Twenty‐nine women with adenomyosis (15 in proliferative phase, 14 in secretory phase) and 27 women without adenomyosis (15 in proliferative phase, 12 in secretory phase). Methods Samples from the uterine fundus and isthmus were obtained at hysterectomy. The expression of oxytocin receptor was evaluated using immunohistochemistry. Main outcome measures Immuno‐reactive score was used evaluate semi‐quantitatively the oxytocin receptor expression. Results In normal uteri, the expression of oxytocin receptor in the isthmus was significantly higher than in the fundus in the proliferative phase (p