Endometriosis Pain

About this study

Aim 1. To determine the factors contributing to pain in patients with chronic pelvic pain with and without endometriosis Aim 2. To determine the changes following endometriosis lesion removal surgery in pain and sex hormone levels. Aim 3. To identify factors predicting clinical pain reduction after lesion removal surgery. Additional exploratory aims might compare subgroups of patients such as patients with vs. without endometriosis, with vs. without additional chronic pain syndromes, and with vs. without hormonal treatment. In addition, the role of lesion-specific immune signatures and psychological factors on pain will be explored. Patients with pelvic pain potentially due to endometriosis will complete questionnaires including social, health, behavioral, and psychological questionnaires. Patients will also complete a 2.5 hours study visit of psychophysical assessments of thermal and pressure stimuli. In addition, blood, urine, and saliva samples will be collected for hormonal, immune, and genetic analyses. Additional samples might be collected and stored for future analyses. For some participants, these procedures will be completed several times, including before the surgery as well as 3 months, 6 months and 1 year after surgery. After the surgery, surveys assessing pain and other symptoms will be sent every week on the first month and then monthly for 1 year. In addition, during the surgery, biopsies will be collected and analyzed to determine hormonal, immune and genetic factors. For adolescents, a parent/legal guardian will be asked to assist in completing some of the health-related surveys (i.e., physical developmental survey, health survey, migraine history survey).

Sponsor: Washington University School of Medicine

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