title: Prevalence of Pain Symptoms Suggestive of Endometriosis Among Finnish Adolescent Girls (TEENMAPS Study).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the prevalence of pain symptoms suggestive of endometriosis among adolescent girls aged 15-19 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adolescent girls aged 15-19 years attending elementary school, high school, or vocational institute at 3 cities in Southwest Finland in 2010-2011.
  
  
  METHODS
  The school nurses distributed a detailed questionnaire to 2582 girls who were attending school at the time of the study. Completion of the questionnaire was voluntary and anonymous.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prevalence and severity of dysmenorrhea, acyclic abdominal pain, dyspareunia, dyschezia, and dysuria. Severity was evaluated with an 11-point numerical rating scale (NRS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1103 eligible answers were analyzed. The prevalence of dysmenorrhea was 68% (738/1092) with mean NRS of 7.0 (SD = 2.0). Acyclic abdominal pain, dyspareunia, dyschezia, and dysuria were less frequent (19% [207/1085], 12% [53/458], 8% [87/1088] and 5% [50/1084], respectively). The prevalence of severe dysmenorrhea (NRS 8-10) was 33% (355/1089). Severe dysmenorrhea was associated with increased risk of concurrent acyclic abdominal pain (odds ratio [OR] = 2.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.0-3.6), dyschezia (OR = 2.5; 95% CI, 1.6-3.9), and regular absenteeism from school or hobbies (OR = 10.0; 95% CI, 4.2-23.6). Using different criteria, 2%-10% (21-106/1103) of all girls could be identified as having symptoms suggestive of endometriosis. Five percent of girls (n = 53/1103) had severe dysmenorrhea, used oral contraceptive pills, and reported inadequate relief from pain medication.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  One-third (355/1089) of 15- to 19-year-old girls had severe menstrual pain and 14% (49/355) of them were regularly absent from school or hobbies. Five percent of all teenage girls (53/1103) were poor responders to conventional therapy for primary dysmenorrhea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland. Electronic address: pia.a.suvitie@tyks.fi.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Suvitie
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Hallamaa
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Matomäki
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Mäkinen
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Perheentupa
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D000041:Absenteeism; D000293:Adolescent; D003248:Constipation / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D004414:Dyspareunia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D053159:Dysuria / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D015995:Prevalence; D012574:Schools; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003276:Contraceptives, Oral
keywords: Adolescent; Dysmenorrhea; Endometriosis; Epidemiology; Pain symptoms