ENdPOInt -Patient’s perception of natural progression of Endometriosis
Research type
Research Study
Full title
ENdPOInt - Patient’s perception of natural progression of Endometriosis.
IRAS ID
235173
Contact name
Dharani Hapangama
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Liverpool
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Endometriosis is a common, oestrogen-dependent disease affecting women of reproductive age. The NHS estimates around 2 million women in the UK are affected by endometriosis, therefore it is as common as other chronic diseases such as asthma and diabetes. The pathophysiology of this chronic, but benign, disorder is explained as having endometrial tissue growing outside of the uterus, common sites for the cells to grow are on the pelvic peritoneum and on the ovaries, fallopian tubes and rectovaginal septum. The symptoms that patients attend with include pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, menorrhagia, fatigue and infertility.
Endometriosis disease severity is routinely staged according to the revised American Society for Reproductive Medicine (r-ASRM) classification which takes in to account the appearance of the extent of endometriotic tissue spread in the pelvis visualised at the time of surgery by the gynaecologists. Progression may be considered by a change to the stage of endometriosis or the symptoms the patient experiences.
Endometriosis has been argued to be progressive and non-progressive disease by different studies, but there is no consensus in opinion as to whether endometriosis is a progressive disease or if treatments have an effect on the natural progression.
Therefore we aim to conclude if endometriosis is a progressive disease in order to counsel and educate patients, enabling them to make informed decisions on the available treatment options; optimize endometriosis treatment and to stratify patients treatment to the most appropriate time and to provide a basis for designing further studies to examine the natural progression of endometriosis.REC name
North West - Greater Manchester East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/NW/0613
Date of REC Opinion
19 Oct 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion