[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.