Interrelationships among endometriosis-related pain symptoms and their effects on health-related quality of life: a sectional observational study

Abstract

ObjectiveTo assess the correlation between different pain symptoms and different domains of women's health-related quality of life (HRQoL).MethodsSeventy-seven women with deep infiltrating endometriosis were successively enrolled between June 2011 and August 2013 while being prepared to undergo laparoscopy due to pain and/or infertility. We quantified the intensities of dysmenorrhea, deep dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, and dyschezia (menstrual and non-menstrual) using a 11-point visual analog scale (VAS: 0–10) and the validated full versions of the Short Form 36 (SF36) and Endometriosis Health Profile (EHP30) questionnaires to assess HRQoL. The pain symptoms were considered simultaneously in a hierarchical agglomerative clustering method (exploratory multivariate approach) and the associations among scores were tested by bivariate correlation.ResultsDysmenorrhea showed the lowest similarity on to the multivariate cluster analysis and no statistically significant correlation with the other pain symptoms: deep dyspareunia (P=0.244), chronic pelvic pain (P=0.108), menstrual dyschezia (P=0.238), and non-menstrual dyschezia (P=0.380). Dysmenorrhea and chronic pelvic pain were the main symptoms correlated with all domains of the SF36 and the EHP30 (core instrument) questionnaires (P<0.05).ConclusionDysmenorrhea and chronic pelvic pain were independent factors associated with HRQoL.

Quality of Life Assessment by the Endometriosis Health Profile (EHP-30) Questionnaire Prior to Treatment for Ovarian Endometriosis in Brazilian Women

“…After a multiple linear regression analysis, ►Table 2 shows that dyspareunia and acyclic pain presented as independent factors of positive correlation with the total score of the EHP-30 questionnaire, and that the high prevalence of these symptoms significantly interferes with the personal and sexual lives of the patients, which may reflect a greater negative impact on their quality of life. This finding is corroborated by de Freitas Fonseca et al 30 Lukic et al 31 studied women with pelvic endometriosis and found that the symptom perceived as being most responsible for the deterioration of quality of life for women with endometriosis is dyspareunia. They also found that, after surgery, these women experienced a significant decrease in this symptom.…”

Endometriosis: current challenges in modeling a multifactorial disease of unknown etiology

“…Infertility is found in 30 to 40% of the cases [ 6 ]. Other symptoms are fatigue, diarrhea, constipation, bloating or nausea, mainly during menstrual periods, and pain-related to mental health problems such as somatization or depression, heightened sensitivity and anxiety are also seen in endometriosis patients when compared to control groups [ 13 ].…”

Management of women affected by endometriosis: Are we stepping forward?

“…[54][55][56][57] Moreover, higher levels of anxiety characterize women with endometriosis, 58 especially when they approach for ART for the first time or became pregnant by ART requiring, thus, the psychologist or psychiatric support. [59][60][61][62]…”