title: Endometriosis patients in the postmenopausal period: pre- and postmenopausal factors influencing postmenopausal health.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate patients' health status and the course of endometriosis from the premenopausal to the postmenopausal period and evaluate influencing factors that may be relevant.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaire completed by 35 postmenopausal women in whom endometriosis had been histologically confirmed premenopausally. Correlation and regression analyses were carried out to identify factors relevant to their postmenopausal health status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, there was clear improvement in typical endometriosis symptoms and sexual life. Clear associations (P < 0.005) were observed between premenopausal factors like physical limitations caused by the disease, impaired social contacts and psychological problems, and postmenopausal pain and impairment of sexual life. Three statistical models for assessing pain and impairment of sexual life in the postmenopausal period were calculated on the basis of clinical symptoms in the premenopausal period, with a very high degree of accuracy (P < 0.001; R(2) = 0.833/0.857/0.931).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the survey strongly suggest that physical fitness and freedom from physical restrictions, a good social environment, and psychological care in both the premenopausal and postmenopausal periods lead to marked improvements in the postmenopausal period with regard to pain, dyspareunia, and influence on sexual life in endometriosis patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women's General Hospital, Krankenhausstraße 26-30, 4021 Linz, Austria ; Department of Gynecology, Erlangen University Hospital, Universitätsstraße 21-23, 91054 Erlangen, Germany ; Faculty of Medicine, Johannes Kepler Univerity, Altenberger Straße 69, 4040 Linz, Austria.
authors.forename: Dietmar
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0044-1407
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women's General Hospital, Krankenhausstraße 26-30, 4021 Linz, Austria ; Faculty of Medicine, Johannes Kepler Univerity, Altenberger Straße 69, 4040 Linz, Austria.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wurm
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Systems Research and Statistics, Johannes Kepler University, Altenberger Straße 69, 4040 Linz, Austria.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0893-066X
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schimetta
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women's General Hospital, Krankenhausstraße 26-30, 4021 Linz, Austria.
authors.forename: Kathrin
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2967-5293
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schabetsberger
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Johannes Kepler Univerity, Altenberger Straße 69, 4040 Linz, Austria ; Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Operative Laparoscopy, Second Surgical Department, Linz General Hospital, Krankenhausstraße 9, 4021 Linz, Austria.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6068-0824
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shamiyeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women's General Hospital, Krankenhausstraße 26-30, 4021 Linz, Austria ; Department of Gynecology, Erlangen University Hospital, Universitätsstraße 21-23, 91054 Erlangen, Germany ; Faculty of Medicine, Johannes Kepler Univerity, Altenberger Straße 69, 4040 Linz, Austria.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Oppelt
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women's General Hospital, Krankenhausstraße 26-30, 4021 Linz, Austria ; Department of Gynecology, Erlangen University Hospital, Universitätsstraße 21-23, 91054 Erlangen, Germany ; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cantonal Hospital Uri, Spitalstraße 1, 6460 Altdorf, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Helge
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Binder
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D017697:Premenopause; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016387:Women's Health