Co-occurrence of immune-mediated conditions and endometriosis among adolescents and adult women.

Problem: Associations between immune dysfunction conditions (eg, systemic lupus erythematous, rheumatoid arthritis) and endometriosis have been observed in adult women, but not assessed among a younger population. We investigated the association between immune-mediated conditions and endometriosis among young women.

Method Of Study: This cross-sectional analysis in the Women's Health Study: From Adolescence to Adulthood included 551 participants with surgically diagnosed endometriosis (median age=19) and 652 controls without endometriosis (median age=24).

Disparities in healthcare services in women with endometriosis with public vs private health insurance.

Background: The goals of health disparities research are to identify facilitators and barriers to healthcare use to help eliminate health inequalities. There are few studies on disparities in healthcare access and use trends for patients with endometriosis that may lead to differences in appropriate care based on socioeconomic status.

Objective: This retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted to compare health services use patterns and prevalence of co-morbidities of women with endometriosis with public (government-based) vs private (purchased or provided by employer) health insurance.

Characteristics of women with endometriosis from the USA and Puerto Rico.

Purpose: To describe lifetime differences in clinical characteristics of women with endometriosis between the USA and Puerto Rico.

Methods: A descriptive study using self-administered demographic and clinical questionnaires was undertaken. Women with self-reported surgically diagnosed endometriosis who completed questionnaires from the Endometriosis Association (EA), Wisconsin, USA (n = 4358) and the Endometriosis Research Program (ERP) in Puerto Rico (n = 878), were included in this study.

HDAC1 and HDAC2 are differentially expressed in endometriosis.

Epigenetic mechanisms have been ascribed important roles in endometriosis. Covalent histone modifications at lysine residues have been shown to regulate gene expression and thus contribute to pathological states in many diseases. In endometriosis, histone deacetylase inhibition (HDACi) resulted in reactivation of E-cadherin, attenuation of invasion, decreased proliferation of endometriotic cells, and caused lesion regression in an animal model.

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the lysyl oxidase-like protein 4 and complement component 3 genes are associated with increased risk for endometriosis and endometriosis-associated infertility.

This study was conducted to assess genetic associations with endometriosis in a Puerto Rican population. Statistically significant differences in the allelic frequencies and genotype distribution of genetic variants in lysyl oxidase-like protein 4 (LOXL4) and complement component 3 (C3) were documented in patients with endometriosis-associated infertility versus controls, and in patients with endometriosis versus controls, respectively. In women who have the risk genotype at both single-nucleotide polymorphisms, the estimated risk for endometriosis nearly doubled.

Quantification of the impact of endometriosis symptoms on health-related quality of life and work productivity.

Objective: To quantify the impact of endometriosis-related symptoms on physical and mental health status, health-related quality of life, and work-related aspects (absenteeism, presenteeism, work productivity, and activity impairment).

Design: Cross-sectional quantitative study.

Setting: Academic and research institution.

Patients' report on how endometriosis affects health, work, and daily life.

The objective of this study was to assess the burden of endometriosis by obtaining patient-reported outcome data describing the experience of living with this disease. Survey data from 107 women with self-reported, surgically diagnosed endometriosis showed that living with this disease may be characterized by physical limitations that disrupt health, work, and daily life.

Self-reported prevalence of endometriosis and its symptoms among Puerto Rican women.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of endometriosis and its symptoms in a Puerto Rican cohort, and to describe the menstrual, obstetric, and clinical profiles of the women.

Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was given to 1285 Puerto Rican women. Categorical variables were compared using chi2 analysis or Fisher exact test.