Evidence of shared genetic factors in the etiology of gastrointestinal disorders and endometriosis and clinical implications for disease management.

In clinical practice, the co-existence of endometriosis and gastrointestinal symptoms is often observed. Using large-scale datasets, we report a genetic correlation between endometriosis and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), peptic ulcer disease (PUD), gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GORD), and a combined GORD/PUD medicated (GPM) phenotype. Mendelian randomization analyses support a causal relationship between genetic predisposition to endometriosis and IBS and GPM.

Accuracy of death certifications of diabetes, dementia and cancer in Australia: a population-based cohort study.

Background: National mortality statistics are only based on the underlying cause of death, which may considerably underestimate the effects of some chronic conditions.

Methods: The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for diabetes (a common precursor to multimorbidity), dementia (a potential accelerant of death) and cancer (expected to be well-recorded) were calculated from death certificates for 9 056 women from the 1921-26 cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. Log binomial regression models were fitted to examine factors associated with the sensitivity of death certificates with these conditions as underlying or contributing causes of death.

Body mass index and the diagnosis of endometriosis: Findings from a national data linkage cohort study.

Background: Women with lower body mass index (BMI) have a higher risk of surgically confirmed endometriosis but this finding runs counterintuitive to the oestrogen-dependent theory for the disease. Increasingly, endometriosis is diagnosed via non-surgical methods. We examined BMI at age 18-23 years, and changes in BMI, and the risk of endometriosis according to the diagnostic method.

Pre-pregnancy lifestyle characteristics and risk of miscarriage: the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health.

Background: Previous studies of lifestyle characteristics and risk of miscarriage have mostly been retrospective and failed to account for induced abortions. We examine whether pre-pregnancy body-mass index, alcohol intake and smoking influence the risk of miscarriage after accounting for induced abortions.

Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study of 9213 women with 26,594 pregnancies participating in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health.

Longitudinal changes in employment following a diagnosis of endometriosis: Findings from an Australian cohort study.

Purpose: Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the reproductive, gastrointestinal, and urinary systems. We examined changes in labor force participation amongst women with endometriosis following diagnosis.

Methods: We analyzed data from 4494 women born in 1973-78 from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health.