# PubMed- Relevance of gastrointestinal symptoms in endometriosis.



## VSsupport (Feb 12, 2008)

[TD]Related Articles

*Relevance of gastrointestinal symptoms in endometriosis.*

Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol. 2009 Aug;49(4):411-4

Authors: Maroun P, Cooper MJ, Reid GD, Keirse MJ

BACKGROUND: Endometriosis commonly presents with a range of symptoms none of which are particularly specific for the condition, often resulting in misdiagnosis or delay in diagnosis. AIM: To investigate gastrointestinal symptoms in women with endometriosis and compare their frequency with that of the classical gynaecological symptoms. METHODS: Systematic exploration of symptoms in a consecutive series of 355 women undergoing operative laparoscopy for suspected endometriosis. RESULTS: Endometriosis was confirmed by histology in 290 women (84.5%). Bowel lesions were present in only 7.6%. Ninety per cent of women had gastrointestinal symptoms, of which bloating was the most common (82.8%), but 71.3% also had other bowel symptoms. All gastrointestinal symptoms were similarly predictive of histologically confirmed endometriosis. Seventy-six women (21.4%) had previously been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome and 79% of them had endometriosis confirmed. CONCLUSION: Gastrointestinal symptoms are nearly as common as gynaecological symptoms in women with endometriosis and do not necessarily reflect bowel involvement.

PMID: 19694698 [PubMed - in process]

View the full article


----------

