Endometriosis, Fatigue and Productivity
Fatigue is one of the prominent and distressing symptoms of endometriosis-associated with insomnia, depression, pain, occupational stress, and reduced health-related quality of life. Endometriosis-related fatigue causes significant impairments in workplace productivity and daily activities of women with endometriosis. Loss of…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis: Less is better. How to improve the integration between surgical and medical therapy - Errico Zupi, MD
In this presentation, Dr. Errico Zupi, Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Rome talks about the importance of an integrative approach comprising of both medical and surgical interventions to treat endometriosis. "The first…
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 SummaryAdolescent endometriosis: Diagnostic clues?
The rates of dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and heavy menstrual bleeding in adolescents showing endometriosis signs on ultrasound are significantly higher compared to those without. This is according to a retrospective observational study recently published in the journal "Fertility and Sterility". The…
Key Points Lay SummaryCombination of noninvasive biomarkers in the identification of endometriosis
The combined measurement of urine enolase, serum CA125, and CA19-9 may be an accurate test for the prediction and detection of endometriosis. This is according to a study published in the journal BioMedical Research International. The gold standard for the…
Key Points Lay SummaryA new Marker to Detect Endometriosis and Its Severity?
Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) could be a novel marker that could help diagnose endometriosis as well as to detect its severity. This is according to a new study by researchers in Egypt, published in the scientific journal "BMC Women’s Health".…
Key Points Lay SummaryDiagnosis and treatment of endometriosis in adolescents
The belief that dysmenorrhea, the primary symptom of endometriosis, in adolescents is an inevitable condition seen in menstruation as well as unwillingness to perform diagnostic laparoscopy may cause the delay of diagnosis of endometriosis. This is according to a recent…
Key Points Lay SummaryIs Endometriosis More Common Among Women of Certain Race/Ethnicity?
Race/ethnicity seems to have an influence on the prevalence of endometriosis with black women appearing to be less likely to be diagnosed with the disease compared to white women. However, other factors such as access and response to treatment may…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis Diagnosis in White, Black, and Asian Women
In a commentary published in the "International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology", Drs. Farland and Horne talk about a study by researchers in Canada and the Philippines, which found that black women are less likely, and Asian women are more likely to…
Key Points Lay SummaryCase-control study to develop a questionnaire for early diagnosis of endometriosis
Endometriosis, which affects 5–10% of women of reproductive age, is a chronic gynecological disease characterized by the presence of endometrial glands and stroma outside the uterus, associated with several discomforts such as pelvic pain, menstrual disorders, and infertility. Ultrasound evaluation…
Key Points Lay SummaryPostmenopausal endometriosis: Is it a rare phenomenon?
Endometriosis, the estrogen-dependent disease defined as the localization of endometrial glandular and stromal tissue outside the uterine cavity, is generally diagnosed in the reproductive-aged women. However, recent literature proved that this disease can also be observed in the premenopausal and…
Key Points Lay SummaryA Routine Pelvic Ultrasound Examination Should Include an Evaluation for Endometriosis
Routine pelvic ultrasound examination should be extended beyond the uterus and ovaries into the posterior and anterior pelvic compartments, according to Australian doctors. With such examinations, deep infiltrating endometriosis nodules can be searched, say the authors, allowing women to be…
Key Points Lay SummaryAll aspects of endometriosis reviewed with focus on modern management
Dr. Chapron and associates from academic centers in France published in Nature Review Endocrinology, a comprehensive review on endometriosis. The article is inclusive of all aspects of endometriosis but especially focuses on the management of the disease with its contemporary status. Having a…
Key Points Lay SummaryClinical Evaluation of Endometriosis-Associated Pain
Endometriosis has a noteworthy impact on the quality of life of the patients diagnosed with it since it is associated with unpleasant conditions such as endometriosis-associated pain. The diagnosis of endometriosis is not always straightforward because of the varying symptoms…
Key Points Lay SummaryPrimary care physicians have a crucial role in the early diagnosis of endometriosis
Dr. Verket and associates from the University of Oslo, Norway, published their cross-sectional anonymous postal questionnaire study in "BMJ open". Diagnosing endometriosis is difficult because dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and infertility are also common among other diseases. The most accurate and reliable diagnosis…
Key Points Lay SummaryIntegrated bioinformatic analysis for endometriosis diagnosis
Endometriosis is considered as a non-malignant disease, but it is associated with several unfavorable conditions including non‑menstrual pelvic pain and infertility. Surgical resection and hormone suppression are common means of treatments; however, several side-effects and the recurrence are not preventable.…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis and Women’s Tendency Towards Blood Clotting
Women with ovarian endometriomas have an abnormally increased tendency toward blood clotting, study shows. Researchers think that this is due to the inflammatory nature of endometriosis. So abnormal coagulation parameters could be used to diagnose endometriosis, however, more detailed studies…
Key Points Lay SummaryA review of endometriosis in adolescent girls and young women
Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent disease which is commonly diagnosed in reproductive-aged women. On the other hand, this disease can develop earlier in life due to different etiopathogenetic mechanisms. Especially adolescents who experienced neonatal uterine bleeding are under the risk for…
Key Points Lay SummaryCirculating Endometrial Cells
Endometriosis is difficult to diagnose because of non-specific symptoms. Currently, there is no biomarker that allows for non-invasive diagnosis of the condition. Surgical laparoscopy remains the standard for diagnosis. Circulating endometrial cells (CECs) is the lymphovascular spread of endometrial cells.…
Key Points Lay SummaryNew Protein for Endometriosis Diagnosis
A protein called TIMP3 (tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3) could be used for the diagnosis and prognosis (likely course) of endometriosis. The early diagnosis of endometriosis is of paramount importance because it can help to diagnosis and thus initiate the right…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis and the quality of life
Recent developments of technics and improvement of skill in the laparoscopic field increased the courage of clinicians to attempt early and multiple diagnostic operations on endometriotic patients. Vanuccini et al. from NEUROFARBA, University of Florence, Florence, Italy recently published their…
Key Points Lay SummaryHow Long Does it Take to Be Diagnosed with Endometriosis?
It takes a median of eight years to reach a diagnosis of endometriosis from when the symptoms of the condition first appear confirmed a new British study. Interestingly, it seems that the earlier the symptoms appear, the later the disease…
Key Points Lay SummaryAdolescent dysmenorrhea and future endometriosis
Dysmenorrhoea is typically classified as primary, or secondary due to underlying pathologies like fibroids, endometriosis, adenomyosis or uterine anomalies. Generally, long-term dysmenorrhea is present in endometriotic patient's anamnesis, but until recently, the research to clarify this connection remained retrospective. Knox et…
Key Points Lay SummaryWhich Diagnosis Technique is Better?
Transvaginal ultrasound provides a more accurate localization of vaginal and recto-vaginal endometriosis compared to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) according to a study published in the International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics. However, MRI has better accuracy in detecting bladder endometriosis…
Key Points Lay SummaryMRI or TVS for accurate diagnosis of rectosigmoid endometriosis?
Rectosigmoid endometriosis (RE) is seen in about 90% of patients with bowel endometriosis. Rectosigmoid is the region between the rectum and the sigmoid colon, which is a region easily accessed and assessed by two most common noninvasive imaging modalities –…
Key Points Lay SummaryAdenomyosis (endometriosis interna): an enigmatic disease that has to be discovered yet
Scientists, Drs. Vannuccini and Petraglia from Italy have published an open access comprehensive review of Adenomyosis in "F1000Research" in March 2019 issue. Adenomyosis is a uterine disorder in which endometrial glands and stroma are pathologically demonstrated within the myometrium, i.e.…
Key Points Lay SummaryPAX8 immunohistochemistry in the diagnosis of Extragenital Endometriosis
This study is performed by Arakawa T et al., from the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, and the results are published in Reproductive Sciences. Endometriosis is seen in many organs including peritoneum, ovaries, bowel, bladder, and even lung. Histopathologic diagnosis may…
Key Points Lay SummaryBowel endometriosis: What you need to know
When the endometrial tissue infiltrates the intestinal walls and reaches inside the intestines, this condition is called "bowel endometriosis". It is estimated that between 3.8% and 37% of women with endometriosis are affected by bowel endometriosis. The endometriosis lesions infiltrating…
Key Points Lay SummaryDevelopment of Less Invasive Diagnostic Tests for Endometriosis Through Proteomics
Proteomics is a field which utilizes various methods to carry out large-scale studies of proteins. Due to the inherent nature of the field, proteomics focuses on the identification, localization, and functional analysis of the protein make-up of a given type…
Key Points Lay SummaryA Brief Review of Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a common disease among women of reproductive age. It is more frequently seen among women without prior pregnancies, women with a family history of endometriosis, and women with abnormal menstrual periods. Peiris et al., researchers from the United…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis: A review on anatomic principles and the management
In the study of Alimi et al. which has been published in the journal Cureus, various aspects of endometriosis such as the pathophysiology, the anatomy, the pain mechanism, the perineural spread theory, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and imaging, infertility, unusual cases,…
Key Points Lay SummaryPreoperative Staging of Endometriosis: The Value of MRI After Dynamic Transvaginal Ultrasound
Since endometriosis is a chronic and progressive disease, early diagnosis and proper staging are important for the patient and for the clinician to discuss and plan the required surgical procedures for treatment. Common diagnostic tools for pre-operative staging of deep…
Key Points Lay SummaryHow to evaluate ureteral endometriosis : A review of the literature
In this recently published review of the literature, Barra et al. from Genova, Italy intend to provide a useful tool to guide physicians in the management of deep infiltrating endometriosis. Authors elected 67 abstracts from Pubmed and Medline in accordance with PRISMA…
Key Points Lay SummaryA Better Way to Diagnose Endometriosis?
Three proteins found in the blood and endometrial tissues could be used to determine the stage of endometriosis and the severity of painful periods according to a study published in the journal Current Medical Science. Evaluating the levels of these…
Key Points Lay SummaryHow are endometriosis patients managed clinically?
This review paper by Falcone and Flyckt, entitled “Clinical Management of Endometriosis” published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology aims to summarize the current strategies for treating endometriosis patients with pain, pelvic dysfunction, and subfertility related to their disease. There are many…
Key Points Lay SummaryDetecting endometriosis using peripheral blood
Laparoscopic visualization of endometriotic lesions with histological confirmation is the gold standard for the diagnosis of endometriosis. However, this diagnostic procedure, due to the need for laparoscopy and variability of disease/symptoms, can have a major delay up to 8-10 years…
Key Points Lay SummaryCatching Endometriosis Early
Li et al., a group primarily from Sun Yat-sen University in the People’s Republic of China, recently published an article titled “Endometrium metabolomic profiling reveals potential biomarkers for diagnosis of endometriosis at minimal-mild stages” in Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology. The…
Key Points Lay SummaryA Way to Better Diagnose Colorectal Endometriosis
Combining magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with computed tomography-based virtual colonoscopy (CTC) can make the assessment of colorectal endometriosis more accurate. This is important because it can help doctors plan the surgery better and inform their patients. In order to evaluate…
Key Points Lay SummaryAn Unusual Case "Free Floating Omental Endometrioma"
Capaccione et al. published an article in Radiology Case Reports titled “Massive endometrioma presenting with dyspnea and abdominal symptoms.” This publication is centered around a particularly unique case report of a woman who was ultimately diagnosed with endometriosis. The patient…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe Past, Present, and Future of Diagnosing Endometriosis
This review titled “Endometriosis: Epidemiology, Diagnosis and Clinical Management” published in Current Obstetrics and Gynecology Reports examines the distribution and factors associated with endometriosis. The analysis by Parasar, Ozcan, and Terry also delineates potential biomarkers and risk factors that could…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe Challenging Path to Diagnosis
Kallia O. Wright, a professor at Illinois College, recently published her essay titled “You have Endometriosis”: Making Menstruation Related Pain Legitimate in a Biomedical World” in Health Communication. This essay delineates the author’s experience with endometriosis. The author started experiencing…
Key Points Lay SummarySkin Endo Diagnosis
High-frequency ultrasound can be very useful for the early diagnosis of cutaneous endometriosis according to a study published in the journal Skin Research and Technology. The diagnostic tool could be used in patients who have unusual cyclical pain even before…
Key Points Lay SummaryDiagnostic and treatment guidelines for gastrointestinal and genitourinary endometriosis.
Endometriosis may affect the pelvic reproductive system, but it can also be found in non-reproductive organs such as the gastrointestinal and urinary tract. The article outlined below discusses the diagnosis and management of genitourinary and gastrointestinal endometriosis. Gastrointestinal endometriosis: The…
Key Points Lay SummaryMRI Best at Detecting Intestinal Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) seems to be a better method in identifying deep infiltrating endometriosis in the intestine compared to two-dimensional ultrasonography (2DUS), found a study by researchers in Italy and Spain. However, this does not seem to be the…
Key Points Lay SummaryHow good are the current guidelines on endometriosis?
The endometriosis was first described in 1860, yet the etiology and pathogenesis remain poorly understood. Treatment strategies vary significantly between disease severity and the symptoms of pain and/or subfertility. These challenges have resulted in multidirectional research, and the comparability of…
Key Points Lay SummaryDo Adolescents and Adults Experience Endometriosis Differently?
Symptoms of endometriosis seem to be the same between women surgically diagnosed during adolescence and those diagnosed as adults, according to a study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. For both age groups, pelvic pain was severe,…
Key Points Lay SummaryEctoenzymes as endometriosis biomarkers
The diagnosis of endometriosis is often delayed by 7 to 11 years because of the lack of a non-invasive diagnostic test. The ovarian endometriomas occur in about 17%-44% of women with endometriosis and cysts which contain endometrial tissue and fluid…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis early pointers
Endometriosis can take a long time to diagnose, thus associated with prolonged symptoms of pain, subfertility and patient frustration/demoralization. It can be difficult to diagnose clinically because the symptoms are common and non-specific so that GP can misconceive them as…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis Should be Diagnosed Timely and Properly
The pain of endometriosis is often worsened by delayed diagnosis. The National Institute for Health Care and Excellence (NICE) recently published guidelines for the quick and accurate diagnosis of endometriosis. Jacqui Wise discusses these recommendations and their implications in her…
Key Points Lay SummaryOverview of NICE Endometriosis Guidelines
In this article titled “Diagnosis and management of endometriosis: summary of NICE guidance,” Kuznetsov et al. talk through the recent endometriosis guidelines set forth by The National Institute for Health Care and Excellence (NICE). The BMJ publication hopes to elucidate…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis and Psychological Health: Butterflies from Deep Wounds
Endometriosis is a grueling disease in every sense of the word; however, most of the discussions center on the physical manifestations of the disease. Facchin et al. veer from the beaten path and examine the impact endometriosis have on a…
Key Points Lay SummaryGlycodelin and altered endometrial function in endometriosis
A laparoscopic examination is the only diagnostic tool for endometriosis to date. Since the procedure is invasive, there has been much effort by researchers to develop a biomarker for non-invasive diagnosis of endometriosis. To this end, there has been growing…
Key Points Lay Summary"Kissing Round Ligaments" May Be a Sign of Bladder Endometriosis
Specific laparoscopic findings may help surgeons diagnose bladder endometriosis, a rare and often undiagnosed condition. Bladder endometriosis is thought to affect only around one percent of patients with endometriosis. However, this could be an underestimation and many cases may go…
Key Points Lay SummaryMore than Four Years Pass Before Endometriosis is Diagnosed After Symptoms First Appear
The average time that passes between the onset of symptoms such as pelvic pain and the diagnosis of endometriosis is 4.4 years on average, according to a study conducted by researchers at the pharmaceutical company Abbvie and published in the…
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