Potential risk factors associated with subtypes of uterine leiomyomata.
OBJECTIVE
To compare potential risk factors for uterine leiomyomata (UL) subtypes among premenopausal African American and Caucasian women.


METHODS
This cross-sectional study included 986 premenopausal women, aged 35 to 49 years old, from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Uterine Fibroid Study (UFS). Uterine leiomyomata were subtyped as submucosal, intramural/subserosal, and diffuse, based on ultrasound examinations.


RESULTS
For both ethnic groups, age, age at menarche, body mass index, and current physical activity had similar associations across the 3 UL subtypes. Inverse associations with pregnancies after age 24 appeared to be stronger for the submucosal subtype. Current smoking was associated only with diffuse UL (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.97, 95% CI: 1.11, 3.51 in African Americans, aOR = 3.00, 95% CI: 1.07, 8.38 in Caucasians).


CONCLUSIONS
Although the 2 focal UL subtypes had similar risk factor profiles, the diffuse UL subtype appeared to have a distinctive risk profile with regard to current smoking. Further study of the diffuse heterogeneity seen with uterine ultrasound is needed.
Dragomir
Anca D
AD
Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA. dragomir@email.unc.edu
Schroeder
Jane C
JC
Connolly
AnnaMarie
A
Kupper
Larry L
LL
Hill
Michael C
MC
Olshan
Andrew F
AF
Baird
Donna D
DD
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004219:District of Columbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000145:classification* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017697:Premenopause; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000145:classification* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D044465:White People