The current management of endometriosis-related infertility.
Endometriosis is a chronic disease affecting women of reproductive age, often presenting with pelvic pain such as dyspareunia, dyschezia, and dysuria, or inertility, and significantly impacting quality of life. Management should be individualized based on symptoms, reproductive goals, age,…
Key Points Lay SummaryEvaluating chronic pain through art
Chronic non-cancer pain, affecting up to 31% of the global population, is a complex condition defined by persistent or recurring pain lasting over three months. Despite advancements in understanding chronic pain as a multifaceted interaction of biological, psychological, and social…
Key Points Lay SummaryLow-grade albeit longstanding inflammation may have a pivotal role in the ovary
Academicians from Japan led by Associate Professor Makoto Orisaka published their update related to the role of inflammation in polycystic ovaries, endometriosis, and aging in the medical journal Frontiers in Endocrionology. Inflammation is the response of tissues to noxious stimuli…
Key Points Lay SummaryUterine innervation and its impact on endometriosis related pelvic pain.
Advancements in immunochemistry, fluorochromes, computer-associated anatomical dissection, and 3D reconstruction of uterine micro-innervation brought substantial progress in pelvic neuroanatomy. The complex uterine innervation and its interactions with uterine parts and layers are yet fully revealed. Austruc et al., from the…
Key Points Lay SummaryUltrasonographic findings and the clinical symptoms of pelvic endometriosis
Imaging techniques achieve the clinical diagnosis of endometriosis, which affects 10-15% of all women of reproductive age. Suspected patients with clinical history and symptoms need a systemic examination of the uterus, ovaries, adnexa, and peritoneal covering the rectouterine, retrocervical, and…
Key Points Lay SummaryVisual representation of endometriosis pain
Endometriosis is accompanied by severe chronic pelvic pain that impacts quality of life, relationships, and work conditions. Studies aiming to improve pain are frequently encountered in the literature. Nonetheless, pain research is complex due to its subjective nature, and cannot…
Key Points Lay SummaryFact or fiction: prescribing medicinal cannabioids in endometriosis patients in Australia
A team of academic institutions from Australia has published their cross-sectional study on cannabis usage in endometriosis patients which has appeared in the recent issue of the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. As victims of a…
Key Points Lay SummaryChronic stress may be involved both in the pathogenesis and progression of endometriosis
Chong Lu and associates from Shangai, China have published their novel research on chronic stress and endometriosis in a recent issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences. During the natural course of endometriosis many patients are under chronic stress, which…
Key Points Lay SummaryUnderstanding endometriosis pain
Chronic pain, especially in conditions like endometriosis, poses significant challenges for diagnosis and treatment due to its multifaceted nature. Elina Helosvuori and Venla Oikkonen from Finland conducted a study in which they aimed to explore the complexities of chronic pain,…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe effect of medical treatment on sexual function and quality of life in women with endometriosis
Women with endometriosis suffer from dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia and chronic pelvic pain, all of which has significant negative consequences on their physical and psychological health regarding sexual function, work and social relationships. Biasioli et al. from Italy, published an article entitled…
Key Points Lay SummaryCoupled torture due to endometriosis and depressive symptoms
Endometriosis significantly impacts various aspects of women's lives including their physical and mental health, careers, and social relationships. Physically, it causes chronic pelvic pain and dyspareunia, affecting 5-10% of reproductive-age women and leading to infertility challenges and a substantial percentage…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis With or Without Chronic Pain Linked to Anxiety and Depression
There may be a potential link between endometriosis, with and without chronic pain, anxiety, and depression, according to a new study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders. “We recommended that clinicians provide proper medical management of endometriosis-related pain through…
Key Points Lay SummaryPerception of quality of professional healthcare in Italian patients with endometriosis
According to the Italian Ministry of Health, the prevalence rate of endometriosis among women in their reproductive age is 10-15%. Many of them suffer from intense pain and a poor quality of life due to diagnostic delay. The average delay…
Key Points Lay SummaryA non-invasive test to determine the risk of endometriosis in women having chronic pelvic pain or unexplained infertility
Women having endometriosis may suffer from chronic pelvic pain and/or infertility, both of which diminish the quality of life in these women. Minimalization of the time between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis is essential to improve patients’ lives. However,…
Key Points Lay SummaryMediterranean Diet Associated With Less Endometriosis Pain?
There seems to be a link between pain relief in endometriosis and a Mediterranean diet, according to a new study published in the International Journal of Science. This finding suggests that a Mediterranean diet could help manage chronic pain in…
Key Points Lay SummarySacral neuromodulation for endometriosis-related chronic pelvic pain
Sacral neuromodulation is a therapeutic technique that involves electrical stimulation of a sacral nerve route to modulate a neural pathway. The device is an implantable neurostimulator, and the procedure is a minimally invasive procedure with good long-term outcomes. This technique…
Key Points Lay SummaryOmitted facet of endometriosis : mental health related to stigma
A team of clinical psychologists involved in women’s health led by Deniz Kocas has published a recent review on the mental health aspect of endometriosis patients in the European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology. Endometriosis is a notoriously…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe compliance for post-surgical follow-ups after endometriosis surgery
. The patient's adherence to follow-ups after surgery is essential as it is the only way to evaluate the surgery's benefits in improving pain symptoms and recurrences, measuring the quality of life, and fertility outcomes. . Dr. Szabo and his…
Key Points Lay SummaryObjective Assessment of Pain Sensitization in Women With Chronic Pelvic Pain
There are objective elements that can help assess the presence of central sensitization, independently of psychological factors, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. This is the first study that assessed whether central sensitization…
Key Points Lay SummaryPain Scoring System for Deep Endometriosis
The numeric pain scale is commonly used to interpret pain score values. According to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines, pain scores of 4-7 points indicate moderate, and 8-10 points indicate severe pain. Patients with a local pain score of…
Key Points Lay SummaryOutcomes of improving chronic pelvic pain with "immersive digital therapeutics" at home.
Studies have shown that virtual reality can effectively treat acute pain experienced by burn victims, during labor, dental surgery, or for chronic musculoskeletal, neuropathic, and cancer pain. Considering the effectiveness of treating chronic pelvic pain at home, Merlot et al.…
Key Points Lay SummaryOutcomes of chronic pelvic pain after niche repair
Rapidly increasing cesarian section rates in recent years increased the cesarian scar defects and the development of "isthmoceles". Isthmocele is a myometrial lesion located around the isthmic portion of the uterus that is a myometrial discontinuity or hypoechoic triangle in…
Key Points Lay SummaryLimitations of current surgical classification systems for endometriosis.
Many classification systems for endometriosis have been developed since the 1970s, and in a 2021 review, more than 20 of those systems were identified. The best-known and most frequently used are rASRM (revised American Society of Reproductive Medicine), the Enzian…
Key Points Lay SummaryWomen With Chronic Pelvic Pain Have a Negative Experience With Doctors
Women with chronic pelvic pain have a negative experience with the healthcare system, according to a study by US researchers published in the International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. This is the case regardless of whether or not they have…
Key Points Lay SummaryOpioid use following operation for endometriosis or pelvic pain
Women with endometriosis have pain in the form of dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and chronic pelvic pain, and they have a diminished quality of life depending on the severity of pelvic pain. Opioids have been preferred in many patients suffering from pain,…
Key Points Lay SummaryAnhedonia and its relation to endometriosis as a sole symptom
"Anhedonia may be defined as a broad category of hedonic function deficiencies, including diminished motivation or enjoyment capacity. It has been an area of interest for a long time in psychiatric disorders and has been crucial in some diagnoses such…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe effect of chronic endometritis on pregnancy outcomes in infertile women having minimal/mild endometriosis
Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent disease that is frequently diagnosed in reproductive-aged women. Infertility can be associated with endometriosis in these women depending on several pathophysiologic mechanisms such as anatomic distortion, and implantation failure. Thus pregnancy rate is so important, especially…
Key Points Lay SummaryChronic pelvic pain and endometriosis
Patients may have an average of 7 clinical visits before being diagnosed with endometriosis. Understanding chronic pain conditions including endometriosis-associated pain, and developing chronic pelvic pain benefits the management of the patients. The role of central sensitization, comorbid conditions, and…
Key Points Lay SummaryWhat are the most common symptoms of endometriosis and how are they related to age?
Even though the incidence of endometriosis is relatively high and numerous studies are being conducted to elucidate its pathogenesis, it is still a highly underdiagnosed and undertreated disease. The symptoms of the disease are well-known; however, the correlation between the…
Key Points Lay SummaryIt is all about awareness when it comes to endometriosis
Endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain are known to have debilitating effects on daily life, educational life, and work life. However, the true prevalence and effects of the disease data are still controversial all over the World. The survey-based study conducted…
Key Points Lay SummaryAlgorithm for pain management in endometriosis
One of the debilitating symptoms of endometriosis is pain. Mostly due to delayed diagnosis and the high recurrence rate, even after the surgical and hormonal therapy pain control may not be sufficient causing the patient to suffer for decades. Endometriosis-associated…
Key Points Lay SummaryQuality of life assessment in women with endometrioma
Like most chronic diseases, endometriosis poses a significant risk of diminishing the quality of life in patients suffering from it, particularly with its most considerable symptom; chronic pelvic pain. Although it is known that endometriosis is more common in East…
Key Points Lay SummaryPhysical activity and exercise in reducing endometriosis symptoms
The treatment modalities to date on endometriosis have focused on the symptomatic relief and management of chronic pain. Hormonal suppression sometimes shows intolerable side effects and is known to lose effect after some time. Surgical interventions may not provide a…
Key Points Lay SummaryPain alone is not a specific predictor for endometriosis diagnosis
The most common symptoms and signs of women with endometriosis include dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility. However, diagnostic delay still occurs due to the broad clinical spectrum of the disease and the absence of non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers. Gordon et…
Key Points Lay SummaryFrom Spain: execution for endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain unresponsive to conventional therapies
The current conventional therapy for chronic pelvic pain for endometriosis is defined as either hormonal or non-hormonal medical treatment starting with combined oral contraceptives progestins or dienogest, and then gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs and/or surgery. Although conventional therapies usually are successful, still…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe Cost of Healthcare for Chronic Pelvic Pain
The healthcare costs of pelvic pain range between 1,367 USD and 7,043 USD per woman per year, found a new study published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada. The study also reported that prescription costs ranged between 193…
Key Points Lay SummaryAltered Decidualization and Pregnancy Complications
Dr. Carlo Ticconi and colleagues from Italy published their comprehensive review manuscript “Clinical consequences of defective decidualization” in the June 2021 issue of “Tissue and Cell”. Currently, there has been growing research interest in the study of decidualization, and knowledge of…
Key Points Lay SummaryOutpatient neuromuscular protocol may improve the quality of life in women with chronic pelvic pain
Chronic pelvic pain syndrome is a complicated entity causing central and peripheric sensitization of nerves. The sensitization processes start a loop of unbreakable pain chain causing resistance to conventional therapy methods. The study conducted by Soha Patil et al covering data…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe incidence and prevalence of endometriosis in a United States population-based study .
To define the accurate incidence and prevalence estimates of endometriosis among nonselected cohorts in the USA, Christ et al. from the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the University of Washington, Seattle, planned a retrospective cohort study using the electronic KPWA…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe association of chronic endometritis, endometriosis and tubal infertility
Holzer et al. from the Department of Gynecologic Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine of Medical University of Vienna, Austria, set up apilot prospective cohort study to evaluate the relationship between chronic endometritis, infertility and endometriosis. The results of the study were recently…
Key Points Lay SummaryChronic Opioid Use in Women with Endometriosis
Women with endometriosis are at a higher risk of chronic opioid use compared to those without the disease, according to a new study by researchers in the U.S. This could be due to other diseases that accompany endometriosis. This finding…
Key Points Lay SummarySelf-management and the quality of life in women with endometriosis
Endometriosis symptoms can range from mild to severe. The most common presenting complaints are mainly pelvic pain and infertility. There is no doubt that the physical and mental quality of life of these women is adversely affected. There are several studies…
Key Points Lay SummaryExploring Pelvic Pain: Deep to Ischial Spine Including Pre-Sacral Roots - A. Taner Usta, MD
Chronic pelvic pain is defined as pain in the pelvic area that lasts for 6 months or longer and results in functional or psychological disability or requires intervention and treatment by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists. There are…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis and chronic opioid use
The members of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have declared that gynecologists prescribe opioids after laparoscopic hysterectomy, or for relieving endometriosis pain, although guidelines are not available for when or how to use opioids for the treatment of endometriosis-associated…
Key Points Lay SummaryPain in Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a chronic and debilitating condition characterized by chronic pelvic pain (CPP) and infertility. It affects approximately 10% of women globally and more than 60% of women diagnosed with endometriosis report CPP. However, the mechanisms underlying the associated pain…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe intensity of pelvic pain is higher in endometriosis patients
Silva J.B. et al., researchers from Brazil, conducted a case-control study to determine the intensity of clinical pain, the average body composition, and the anthropometric markers including the body mass index, the perimeters (waist, abdomen, hip), and the percentage of…
Key Points Lay SummaryFactors affecting the quality of life of women with endometriosis
Results from a new study suggest that the quality of life of women with endometriosis is significantly affected by their confidence to manage pain and their belief in the evolution of their condition. In this study, led by Rees M. et…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriotic mesenchymal stem cells may promote endometriosis
The cause of endometriosis is still debatable. Many researchers have accepted that retrograde menstruation, where the endometrial fragments released during menstruation attach and colonize the ectopic locations, is the most plausible reason. However, the numbers just do not add up.…
Key Points Lay SummaryOpioids use in women with endometriosis, what does it tell us?
Endometriosis is a debilitating disease that can cause many painful symptoms such as dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, infertility, chronic pelvic pain, abdominal pain, and sacral or low back pain. More than half of women diagnosed with endometriosis suffer from chronic pelvic pain.…
Key Points Lay SummaryNeglected needs of endometriosis and infertility patients during COVID-19 pandemic
With the global outbreak of the COVID-19, hospitals canceled surgeries and people are afraid of going to hospitals. However, chronic diseases still need to be managed. Rowe H. and Quinlivan J., researchers from Australia, pointed out the neglected needs of…
Key Points Lay SummaryFatigue from the viewpoint of patients with endometriosis
Fatigue, feeling spoonie, is documented as a significant symptom of endometriosis in many studies. Researchers from three different institutions dealing with reproductive health conducted individual interviews with patients reporting moderate to severe endometriosis-related pain to better understand endometriosis-related fatigue and…
Key Points Lay SummaryAre endometriosis patients at higher risk of bipolar disorder?
Endometriosis patients are prone to develop certain psychiatric disorders, including depression and anxiety, as well as bipolar disorder, according to a nationwide population-based cohort study from Taiwan. Bipolar disorder formerly called manic-depression is a chronic mental disorder characterized by unusual changes…
Key Points Lay SummaryMaternal body mass index and neonatal outcomes in women with endometriosis
Endometriosis is defined as the localization of endometrial glandular and stromal-like tissue outside the uterine cavity. Its prevalence is 10-15% in the general population of this age. However, endometriosis is diagnosed more frequently in infertile women with a prevalence of…
Key Points Lay SummaryInterleukin-37b inhibits the growth of murine endometriosis-like lesions
Endometriosis is a chronic gynecological disease that causes chronic pain and infertility in women. Despite continuous efforts and numerous research, there is, ultimately, still much to understand about the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Inflammatory factors including several interleukins have already been…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe efficacy of combined hormonal contraception on pelvic pain in endometriosis patients
Chronic pelvic pain, which is experienced by more than 33% of endometriosis patients, constitutes a significant challenge for patients and physicians. A new study that appears in the journal Human Reproduction Open has explored the prevalence of endometriosis patients with a history…
Key Points Lay SummaryUrgent Need For Building Resilience
According to Naeem et al.’s article, “Coping with Covid”, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the ideal intervention tool to increase resilience. Their study has recently been published in "Kyber Medical University Journal". The authors investigate the psychological impact of the Covid-19…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease
Endometriosis and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease show the same pathologic mechanism in terms of endothelial dysfunction. Tan et al. from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada reviewed the literature aiming to determine whether women…
Key Points Lay SummarySurgery and the endometriosis associated-pain: A systematic review
The surgical approach for pelvic pain-related to endometriosis depends on the stage and the type of the endometriotic lesion and ranging from ablation and the excision of the lesions to radical surgery as hysterectomy with removal of ovaries and presacral…
Key Points Lay SummaryChronic Fatigue Syndrome and Endometriosis: Comorbid Conditions
In the study of Dr. Boneva et al., from Atlanta, GA, the United States which has recently been published in the journal Frontiers in Pediatrics evaluated the impact of endometriosis on the health of women with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). The authors compared…
Key Points Lay SummaryPatients with Pelvic Pain Most Likely to Benefit from Endometriosis Surgery
Women who experience higher levels of pain are more likely to show improvement in their quality of life (QoL) following endometriosis surgery, according to a study published in The Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology. Chronic pelvic pain seems to be…
Key Points Lay SummaryProposed algorithm for a clinical diagnosis of endometriosis.
This recently published article in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology is about the challenge of diagnosing endometriosis, its impact on women's daily life and authored by Agarwal et al. from The University of California, San Diego, CA, USA. Authors called attention…
Key Points Lay SummaryNutraceuticals may help for endometriosis pain
Dysmenorrhea and chronic pelvic pain occur in endometriosis patients in a significant percentage. Anti-inflammatory medications and lifestyle changes including diet form the integrated approach in this regard. However, the medications can be used only for the short term. Natural substances with anti-inflammatory…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe association of endometriosis and peritoneal malignant mesothelioma
Endometriosis is well known to cause chronic inflammation of the serosa and incite mesothelial hyperplasia. Although multilocular peritoneal inclusion cysts and well-differentiated papillary mesothelioma were reported to be associated with endometriosis, the association of malignant mesothelioma has not been reported…
Key Points Lay SummarySexual distress, metacognitive beliefs, and endometriosis
In this study, researchers from the University of Bergamo in Italy investigated the link between sexual distress and psychological and cognitive factors in women with endometriosis. Compared to the general female population, women with endometriosis have a nine-fold increased risk…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe pain and its severity in deeply infiltrating endometriosis patients
Liang et al. from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, China, recently published an interesting paper in the Journal of Pain Research, a prospective study to reveal the relationship between neurogenesis and other potential…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis as a chronic disease: The benefits for the patients
Rebecca O'Hara et al. from Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, recently published their qualitative case study in the Journal "Australian Health Review", to build a National Policy about endometriosis considering as a chronic disease. In Australia, long-term complex diseases are managed…
Key Points Lay SummaryWomen recommended laparoscopy for chronic pelvic pain
Chronic pelvic pain is a diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma. It has many etiologies in many organ systems. Clinician and patient factors affect the management of chronic pelvic pain. Mirowska-Allen K.L. et al. have recently published an article titled, “The characteristics of…
Key Points Lay SummaryComparing opioid and nonopioid therapy for chronic pain
Over the last few decades, North-America and Europe show continued increase in prescription rates of opioids. Evidence shows significant pain reduction with opioids in the short term compared to placebo, however whether opioids are superior to non-opioids even in the…
Key Points Lay SummaryHealth-related quality of life in women with Endometriosis and Rheumatoid Arthritis
Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease that is defined by the presence of ectopic endometrial tissue outside of the uterus. Unfortunately, endometriosis continues to be a leading cause of chronic pelvic pain and long-term morbidity in women of reproductive age.…
Key Points Lay SummaryCould Gabapentin Make my Pain Go Away?
Gabapentin could effectively reduce endometriosis-associated pain, according to a new study published in the Journal of Pain Research. The study that was conducted in mice and endometriotic tissues from patients suggests that certain proteins present on the surface of cells…
Key Points Lay SummaryAbnormal Regulation of Pathways Seen in Endometriosis
Sikora et al., a team from the Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, published a study in the Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics titled “The role of complement components C1q, MBL and C1 inhibitor in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.” It has been said that complement system…
Key Points Lay SummaryIrritable bowel syndrome and endometriosis.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and endometriosis are two diseases affecting a significant part of the female population, either together or individually, with remarkable consequences in the quality of life. Several studies suggest an epidemiological association between them. Their association may…
Key Points Lay SummaryReduced vascularization in ovarian endometriomas associated with less pain
Angiogenesis, i.e., the development of new blood vessels is believed to play an important role in endometriosis pathogenesis and symptoms. Endometriosis is associated and requires neovascularization to proliferate, invade surrounding normal structure in order to establish an endometriotic lesion. Ovarian…
Key Points Lay SummaryCombo Therapy of Micronized palmitoylethanolamide/trans-polydatin for Endometriosis Pain
Endometriosis is a painful illness and many researchers in the field work to offer women with the disease some form of respite from the suffering. Indraccolo, Indraccolo, and Mignini are three such researchers and they recently published a paper titled…
Key Points Lay SummarySymptoms of Endometriosis May Be Partly Caused by an Infection and Be Treated with Antibiotics
Women with endometriosis are more frequently diagnosed with chronic endometritis compared to other women found a study published in the medical journal Fertility and Sterility. According to the authors, this finding suggests that although no causal relationship between these two…
Key Points Lay SummaryPatient-completed or symptom-based screening tools for endometriosis: a scoping review.
Endometriosis affects approximately 10% of women in reproductive age. Its clinical presentation is variable, and symptoms, such as chronic pelvic pain, may overlap with those of other benign conditions, making differential diagnosis challenging. Therefore, a patient-completed screening questionnaire could potentially…
Key Points Lay SummaryDoes laparoscopic excision or laparoscopic ablation offer the best long-term pain relief from endometriosis?
This systematic and meta-analysis of several studies aimed to compile data regarding the reduction of dysmenorrhea (menstrual pain), dyschezia (difficult defecation), dyspareunia (painful sexual intercourse), chronic pelvic pain and Endometriosis Health Profile (EHP-30) score 2-12 months after treatment. Visual analog scale (VAS)…
Key Points Lay Summary