title: Characteristics of patients with endometriosis in the United States and the United Kingdom.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate differences in characteristics of patients with endometriosis in the United States and the United Kingdom.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patient questionnaire.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two university-based endometriosis referral centers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women with surgically diagnosed endometriosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patient demographics, menstrual and obstetric history, contraceptive use, medical history, risk factors, family history, endometriosis diagnosis, and current pain status and treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most demographic characteristics were similar between groups. However, patients in the United States were diagnosed at a younger age than were patients in the United Kingdom (25.6 +/- 6.7 years vs. 28.0 +/- 7.1 years) and more commonly presented with an ovarian mass. More U.K. women used oral contraceptives before diagnosis and were younger at first use. U.K. patients underwent fewer additional surgeries than U.S. patients but reported that surgery alone provided the best relief of symptoms, whereas most U.S. patients reported that surgical and medical therapy together provided the best relief of symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The many similarities in demographics and symptoms among women with endometriosis in the U.S. and the U.K. support the universality of the disease process. Despite a variety of treatments, most patients from both groups still experienced pain from their endometriosis at the time of the survey.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kuohung
authors.forename: Georgina L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Allison F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Vitonis
authors.forename: Daniel W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Cramer
authors.forename: Stephen H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Mark D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Hornstein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003267:Contraception; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008598:Menstruation; D010049:Ovarian Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D010146:Pain; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D003276:Contraceptives, Oral