title: Endometriotic Pain Is Associated with Adenomyosis but Not with the Compartments Affected by Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The identification of presurgical clinical markers may be helpful to allow the staging of endometriosis severity. It has been suggested that pain characteristics orientate the gynecologist about the anatomical involvement of endometriosis. The study was performed to analyze the correlation between pain symptoms and the anatomical location of endometriosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred fifty-five consecutive patients with a complete removal of deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) were included. Prior to surgery, data on patient and disease characteristics were obtained. The intensity of the pain symptoms was registered using a Visual Analogue Scale. The endometriotic lesions were categorized according to the Enzian morphological classification. Correlation and multivariate analysis were performed to assess the potential associations between pain characteristics (dysmenorrhea, pelvic pain, dyschezia, dyspareunia or dysuria) and the location of endometriosis or other disease-related characteristics (hematuria, rectal bleeding or adenomyosis).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pelvic pain was significantly associated with the presence of adenomyosis. Dyschezia was correlated with rectal bleeding and dysuria with the presence of hematuria. No relationship was found between other kinds of pain and the morphological location of endometriosis or other disease-related characteristics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that pelvic pain is correlated with the presence of adenomyosis in women with DIE. Further studies are required.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Institute of Gynecology, Obstetrics, and Neonatology, Hospital Clinic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Maria Francesca
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Perelló
authors.forename: Maria Ángeles
authors.initials: MÁ
authors.lastname: Martínez-Zamora
authors.forename: Ximena
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Jordina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Munrós
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Balasch Cortina
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Carmona
mesh_terms: D062788:Adenomyosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000328:Adult; D003248:Constipation / Q000503:physiopathology; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D004414:Dyspareunia / Q000503:physiopathology; D053159:Dysuria / Q000503:physiopathology; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D010532:Peritoneal Diseases
keywords: Adenomyosis; Endometriosis; Enzian classification; Marker; Pain