Top stories for Endometriosis Awareness Month

Endometriosis is a painful condition estimated to affect 2% to 10% of women in the United States between 25 and 40 years of age, and 10% of reproductive-aged women globally.

The disorder — which involves the growth of tissue outside of the uterus that is similar to that lining the inside of the uterus — also makes it difficult to become pregnant and may even cause infertility.

Though it is a common gynecologic disorder, the causes of endometriosis remain uncertain. Additionally, many health care providers around the world conflate symptoms of the condition with regular pelvic pain, leading to late diagnosis.

As such, March is designated as Endometriosis Awareness Month to bring light to the disorder and barriers to its diagnosis. Here are the top stories from Healio’s coverage of endometriosis in the past year.

Botulinum toxin relieves endometriosis pain

Researchers found that compared with placebo, botulinum toxin helped women reduce pain medication intake and the number of pelvic floor spasms. While they cautioned that more studies are needed, these findings could indicate the drug as a potential alternative to surgery and hormones to reduce pain. Read more.

Study shows impact of endometriosis on women’s work ability

Women with endometriosis used 10 more disability days on average than women without it, but there were no associations between the condition and unemployment or early retirement, researchers in Finland found. Read more.

Circadian rhythm misalignment may increase risk for ovarian endometriosis in women

Messenger RNA expression of clock genes in the eutopic and ectopic tissues of women with ovarian endometriosis differed from the expression in the normal endometrial tissue of women with uterine fibroids. These data indicate a disruption in the sleep-wake circadian rhythm and — though not confirmed — may mean that alterations in expression cause endometriosis. Read more.

Women with endometriosis at greater risk for stroke

Women with endometriosis had a 36% greater risk of stroke compared with those who did not have the disorder. Mediation analysis showed that hysterectomy and oophorectomy accounted for 38.9% of the increased risk. Read more.

Myfembree continues to demonstrate benefits in women with endometriosis, uterine fibroids

The relugolix combination therapy reduced menstrual bleeding in a study on women with uterine fibroids. In another study, women with endometriosis who took Myfembree had reduced pain and improved quality of life compared with those taking placebo. Read more.

Endometriosis increases risk for CVD

Researchers in the U.K. found that the risk for ischemic heart disease, heart failure and cerebrovascular disease combined was 24% higher among women who had endometriosis than among women who did not. Kathryn Lindley, MD, and Annabelle Santos Volgman, MD, FACC, FAHA, provided their perspectives on the findings. Read more.

Survey indicates need to improve endometriosis awareness

Women with endometriosis frequently reported their symptoms being dismissed by people close to them, and 70% believed health care professionals do not fully understand the impact of the condition on their lives. Read more.

Q&A: Alliance seeks to improve endometriosis awareness

For Endometriosis Awareness Month 2021, Healio spoke with Ted L. Anderson, MD, PhD, FACOG, FACS, a past president of ACOG and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, about the stigma and normalization of endometriosis. Read more.

Women with endometriosis more likely to report lower urinary tract symptoms

In a study of women and girls, those with endometriosis more frequently reported urinary tract symptoms including needing to urinate again within minutes, difficulty passing urine and dysuria compared with those without endometriosis. The researchers suggested the symptoms be addressed alongside the diagnosis and management of the disorder. Read more.

Reference:

• Johns Hopkins Medicine. Endometriosis. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/endometriosis. Accessed March 10, 2022.
• WHO: Endometriosis. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/endometriosis. Published March 31, 2021. Accessed March 10, 2022.