title: Uterine fibroids and gynecologic pain symptoms in a population-based study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the association between dyspareunia, dysmenorrhea, and noncyclic pelvic pain and the presence and characteristics of uterine fibroids.
  
  
  METHODS
  Population-based cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Desio, Italy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six hundred thirty-five non-care-seeking participants of the Seveso Women's Health Study with an intact uterus who underwent transvaginal ultrasound.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ultrasound-detected presence of uterine fibroids and fibroid characteristics including volume, number, location, and position. Current dyspareunia, dysmenorrhea, and noncyclic pelvic pain was measured by self-report on a visual analog scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Uterine fibroids were detected in 96 women (15%). Women with fibroids were more likely to report moderate or severe dyspareunia (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 2.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.9-8.3, statistically significant trend) and moderate or severe noncyclic pelvic pain (adjusted OR = 2.6, 95% CI = 0.9-7.6, statistically significant trend) than women without fibroids. Moderate or severe dysmenorrhea was not associated with the presence of fibroids (adjusted OR = 1.1, 95% CI = 0.5-2.6). Number and total volume of fibroids were not related to pain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first population-based study of gynecologic pain symptoms and fibroids. Dyspareunia and noncyclic pelvic pain, but not dysmenorrhea, increased in severity with the presence of uterine fibroids. Fibroid-associated pain symptomatology in a non-care-seeking population may be different from that of a clinic population.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720-7360, USA.
authors.forename: Sheri A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Lippman
authors.forename: Marcella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Warner
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Samuels
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Olive
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vercellini
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Eskenazi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000453:epidemiology; D004414:Dyspareunia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010148:Intractable Pain / Q000453:epidemiology; D017698:Postmenopause; D017697:Premenopause; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*