Abstract

OBJECTIVE
Endometriosis is a known contributor to infertility, but the gold standard for its diagnosis is surgical. Therefore, it is important for clinicians to be able to predict which women with infertility are at high risk for endometriosis and thus should be offered laparoscopy. We sought to identify the clinical predictors of endometriosis in the infertility population.
METHODS
We conducted a retrospective review of patients at an academic infertility centre. The primary outcome was identification of endometriosis at laparoscopy, and we used logistic regression to test clinical variables for their ability to predict endometriosis.
RESULTS
Primary infertility, dysmenorrhea, and uterosacral/cul-de-sac nodularity were significant independent predictors of finding endometriosis at laparoscopy. Other clinical variables (including hysterosalpingogram findings) were not independent predictors of endometriosis, and physicians with an endometriosis-focused practice were more likely to diagnose endometriosis at laparoscopy.
CONCLUSION
Key predictors of endometriosis in the infertility population are primary infertility, dysmenorrhea, and uterosacral/cul-de-sac nodularity. These results will be used to develop and validate a formal clinical prediction model for endometriosis in infertile women.

Authors

Whitehill K, Yong PJ, Williams C

Institution

Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC.

Source

Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology Canada : JOGC = Journal d'obstétrique et gynécologie du Canada : JOGC 34:6 2012 Jun pg 552-7

MeSH

Adult
Dysmenorrhea
Endometriosis
Female
Humans
Hysterosalpingography
Infertility, Female
Laparoscopy
Logistic Models
Predictive Value of Tests
Retrospective Studies
Uterus

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article

Language

eng

PubMed ID

22673171