IngentaConnect High rates of autoimmune and endocrine disorders, fibromyalgia, c...

Authors: N. Sinaii¹; S.D. Cleary²; M.L. Ballweg³; L.K. Nieman¹; P. Stratton¹

Source: Human Reproduction, Volume 17, Number 10, October 2002 , pp. 2715-2724(10)

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Women with endometriosis may also have associated disorders related to autoimmune dysregulation or pain. This study examined whether the prevalence of autoimmune, chronic pain and fatigue and atopic disorders is higher in women with endometriosis than in the general female population. METHODS AND RESULTS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 1998 by the Endometriosis Association of 3680 USA members with surgically diagnosed endometriosis. Almost all responders had pain (99%), and many reported infertility (41%). Compared with published rates in the general USA female population, women with endometriosis had higher rates of hypothyroidism (9.6 versus 1.5%, P < 0.0001), fibromyalgia (5.9 versus 3.4%, P < 0.0001), chronic fatigue syndrome (4.6 versus 0.03%, P < 0.0001), rheumatoid arthritis (1.8 versus 1.2%, P = 0.001), systemic lupus erythematosus (0.8 versus 0.04%, P < 0.0001), Sjögren’s syndrome (0.6 versus 0.03%, P < 0.0001) and multiple sclerosis (0.5 versus 0.07%, P < 0.0001), but not hyperthyroidism or diabetes. Allergies and asthma were more common among women with endometriosis alone (61%, P < 0.001 and 12%, P < 0.001 respectively) and highest in those with fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome (88%, P < 0.001 and 25%, P < 0.001 respectively) than in the USA female population (18%, P < 0.001 and 5%, P < 0.001 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Hypothyroidism, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, autoimmune diseases, allergies and asthma are all significantly more common in women with endometriosis than in women in the general USA population.

Keywords: autoimmune; chronic fatigue syndrome; endocrine; endometriosis; fibromyalgia

Document Type: Research article

Affiliations: 1: Pediatric and Reproductive Endocrinology Branch, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, 10 Center Drive, Building 10, Room 9D42, MSC 1583, Bethesda, MD 20892-1583, 2: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Health Services, The George Washington University, 2300 I Street N.W., Ross 120B, Washington, DC 20037 and 3: Endometriosis Association, International Headquarters, 8585 N. 76th Place, Milwaukee, WI 53223, USA

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High rates of autoimmune and endocrine disorders, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and atopic diseases among women with endometriosis: a survey analysis