title: Uterine fibroids: Correlations of anemia and pain to fibroid location and uterine weight.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the prevalence of anemia, pelvic pain and heavy vaginal bleeding among symptomatic women with and without submucosal fibroids who presented for uterine fibroid embolization (UFE), and to determine if uterine weight was related to patient reports of heavy bleeding and pelvic pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case series study was performed that reviewed the ambulatory medical records of 357 symptomatic women with uterine fibroids seeking UFE from 2001 to 2009. Women with at least one submucosal fibroid were included as cases. Uterine weight was calculated by using ultrasound measurements.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women, regardless of fibroid location, were equally likely to report heavy bleeding or be diagnosed with anemia. However, among women with complaints of pelvic pain or heavy bleeding, uterine weight was found to be higher in women with at least one submucosal fibroid as compared to women with fibroids in locations other than submucosal.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data do not support the clinical perception that symptomatic women with at least one submucosal fibroid are at greater risk of becoming anemic or reporting heavy bleeding and pelvic pain than symptomatic women with fibroids in nonsubmucosal locations. It appears, however, that submucosal fibroids are related to increased patient symptoms with increasing uterine size.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901, USA. gloria.bachmann@umdnj.edu
authors.forename: Gloria A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Bachmann
authors.forename: Linda A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Bahouth
authors.forename: Premlatha
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Amalraj
authors.forename: Vidya
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mhamunkar
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hoes
authors.forename: Cande V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Ananth
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D009515:New Jersey / Q000453:epidemiology; D009929:Organ Size; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000209:etiology; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055357:Uterine Artery Embolization; D014592:Uterine Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*