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Establishment of an Experimental Mouse Model of Endometrioma to Study its Related Infertility
Published on: April 5, 2024
Association Between Endometriosis and Hypercholesterolemia or Hypertension
Fan Mu1, Janet Rich-Edwards2, Eric B Rimm2
1From the Department of Epidemiology (F.M., J.R.-E., E.B.R., D.S., S.A.M.), Department of Nutrition (E.B.R., D.S.), and Department of Biostatistics (D.S.), Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA; Connors Center for Women's Health and Gender Biology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA (J.R.-E.); and Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine (E.B.R., J.P.F., S.A.M.), Renal Division, Department of Medicine (J.P.F.), and Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology (S.A.M.), Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. fam434@mail.harvard.edu.
Endometriosis increases the risk of hypercholesterolemia and hypertension. Conversely, these conditions also raise the likelihood of developing endometriosis, particularly in younger women. Treatment factors significantly influence these associations.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Endocrinology
- Cardiovascular Health
- Inflammatory Diseases
Background:
- Endometriosis is linked to hormonal and inflammatory changes.
- These changes may predispose individuals to cardiovascular issues like hypercholesterolemia and hypertension.
- The bidirectional relationship between endometriosis and these conditions requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the prospective association between laparoscopically confirmed endometriosis and the development of hypercholesterolemia and hypertension.
- To investigate the converse association: the risk of endometriosis in women with hypercholesterolemia and hypertension.
- To explore age-related differences and the impact of treatment factors on these associations.
Main Methods:
- A large prospective cohort study of 116,430 registered female nurses followed for 20 years.
- Baseline questionnaire data collected in 1989, including diagnosis of endometriosis, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertension.
- Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models used for statistical analysis, adjusting for numerous potential confounders.
Main Results:
- Women with endometriosis had a significantly increased risk of developing hypercholesterolemia (RR 1.25) and hypertension (RR 1.14).
- Women with hypercholesterolemia (RR 1.22) and hypertension (RR 1.29) had a significantly increased risk of developing endometriosis.
- Associations were strongest in women aged ≤40 and were partially explained by surgical treatments post-endometriosis diagnosis.
Conclusions:
- Laparoscopically confirmed endometriosis is prospectively associated with an increased risk of hypercholesterolemia and hypertension.
- Hypercholesterolemia and hypertension are prospectively associated with an increased risk of endometriosis.
- These bidirectional associations highlight a complex interplay between endometriosis and cardiovascular risk factors, influenced by age and treatment.
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