[Comparison and analysis of pain profiles of women with endometriosis and pelvic congestion syndrome--part I].

UNLABELLED

Pain is a general symptom in the clinical evolution of endometriosis /E/, particularly of adenomyosis /A/, and pelvic congestion syndrome /PCS/-conditions with different incidence and contingent of women with specific characteristics.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

To build up and compare the pain profiles of patients with E, A, and PCS by the use of quantitative and qualitative characteristics.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A prospective study was conducted in the Clinic of Gynaecology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical University-Pleven in the period 01.03.2004-01.02.2006. It included 98 patients--66 consequently admitted in the Clinic patients /for diagnostic specification or operative treatment/, suspected of or with proven E, and 32 patients with PCS. For the purpose of the study the following methods were used: pain chart, visual-analogue scale /VAS/, monthly pain calendar, documentary method, R-AFS classification of endometriosis and inquiry method.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

It was made a specification of and comparison between qualitative, quantitative and topical characteristics of chronic pelvic pain syndrome of women with E, A and PCS. Factors that aggravate and alleviate pain symptomatic were determined and the most frequent additional symptoms besides pain were pointed out. Discriminating between pain profiles of patients with E, A and PCS contributes to more precise differential-diagnostic specification together with other diagnostic means.