Is there a link between age at diagnosis of endometriosis and disease severity? What does research suggest? In this article, I am reviewing a relevant paper by Comptour et al. (1), a prospective study with data collected between 2004 and 2012, aiming to identify a possible correlation between age at diagnosis and severity of endometriosis. In this study, 964…
Vitamin D is a steroid hormone produced mostly as a result of exposure to UV light and regulates the levels of calcium and phosphate in the blood (1). Except its role in bone health, studies have demonstrated its role in human reproduction, with 15% of subfertile couples having low vitamin D levels (2), as well in regulation of inflammation,…
Many things have been written as to whether patients with endometriosis have higher risk of developing other diseases. One of these diseases is adenomyosis. Adenomyosis is the condition in which cells from the lining of the womb (endometrium) are found with the muscular wall of the uterus (myometrium). We recognise 2 types, focal and diffuse. Some believe that adenomyosis and…
Other than the 3 types of disease, we also have stages of endometriosis. As we now know, endometriosis is a heterogeneous disease and, therefore, staging of endometriosis is not always an easy task. This is why there are, up to this date, more than one staging systems of endometriosis. The 3 most commonly used are: Stage Findings I: Minimal (1-5)…
There is no commonly accepted aetiology of the disease. Endometriosis is a complex, heterogeneous and multifactorial disease, in which are involved hormonal, genetic, environmental and immunologic factors. The most likely theories are: What is more, the disease could be associated with the following: In conclusion, it is not very clear what causes endometriosis. It is likely to be a combination…
Endometriosis is the benign disease, where endometrial-like tissue is found in places other than the uterus1. Possible locations include the ovaries, fallopian tubes, peritoneum( the thin membrane that covers the pelvic organs), bowel, urinary tract (urinary bladder and ureters), as well as less common locations (such as nerves, diaphragm, abdominal wall, lungs). This hormone-sensitive disease (sensitive to oestrogens) affects around…
We recognise 3 types of endometriosis. Of note, the 3 types are based on anatomic criteria (so to say, where the lesions of endometriosis are located), therefore, there is not always a clear correlation between the type of the disease and the type or severity of symptoms.
There is some evidence suggesting that endometriosis is an inherited disease: the risk of disease is 6-9% higher in 1st-degree relatives of women suffering from endometriosis1,2(The risk increases to 15% in cases of severe endometriosis3,4). In twin sisters, the frequency and age of onset of the disease are similar5. However, the identification of the genetic factors associated with the disease…
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