[Endometriosis and pain]

The main symptoms of endometriosis are pain, adnexal tumor and infertility. Pelvic pain and dysmenorrhea are cardinal symptoms as well as pain upon defecation, suprapubic pain (dysuria), pain during coitus and during gynecologic examination. Pain can be caused by fibrotic reaction of the adjacent tissue, adhesions, prostaglandins produced both in endometrium inside the uterus and ectopic endometrium, and also by increased macrophages in the peritoneal fluid.

500 infertile patients underwent the procedure of laparoscopy in order to determine the cause of infertility. The control group comprised 200 fertile women. The presence of pain in the small pelvis was compared in two groups of patients: with or without endometriosis. Correlation of pain with the stage of disease and location of endometriotic implants in the small pelvis has also been investigated.

Endometriosis was diagnosed by laparoscopy in 26% of infertile and 5% of fertile women. The difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Dysmenorrhea was present in 46.92% of infertile women with endometriosis and in 48.68% of women without endometriosis. The difference was not statistically significant. Dysmenorrhea was present in 30% of fertile women and in realtion to infertile women, the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05), no matter if they have endometriosis or not. In relation to stages of endometriosis (the revized classification of the American Fertility Society), there is no significant difference concerning dysmenorrhea. Dysmenorrhea occurred in the first stage in 48%, in the second stage in 44.19%, in the third stage in 50% and in the fourth stage in 44.44%. The correlation coefficient ranged from -8.85 to -0.89. The correlation existed, it was high, but negative. Sensitivity, specificity and prognostic value of symptoms of dysmenorrhea have been estimated in relation to endometriosis with following results: sensitivity was 47%, specificity 51% and the prognostic value i.e. the possibility of occurrence in patients with dysmenorrhea was 25%. Localization of endometriotic foci did not affect occurrence of pain symptoms.