Symptom flares in women with chronic pelvic pain: Questionnaire study within a cohort study (translational research in pelvic pain (TRiPP))
Coxon L., Lugt C., Horne AW., Evans E., Abreu- Mendes P., Arendt-Nielsen L., Aziz Q., BECKER CM., Birch J., Charrua A., Demetriou L., Ferreira-Gomes J., Hoffman A., Hummelshoj L., Krassowski M., Lunde CE., Meijlink J., Missmer SA., PERRO D., ZONDERVAN KT., Sieberg CB., Cruz F., Nagel J., VINCENT K.
Objective: To quantify the variation, triggers and impact on quality of life of symp- tom flares in women with chronic pelvic pain (CPP). Design: Cross-sectional questionnaire within the Translational Research in Pelvic Pain clinical cohort study. Setting: Women with CPP, with subgroups of women with endometriosis (EAP), interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (BPS), comorbid endometriosis and in- terstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (EABP), and those with pelvic pain without endometriosis or interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (PP). Population or Sample: A total of 100 participants. Methods: Descriptive and comparative analysis from flares questionnaire. Main Outcome Measures: The prevalence, characteristics and triggers of short, me- dium and long symptom flares in CPP. Results: We received 100 responses of 104 questionnaires sent. Seventy-six per cent of women with CPP have ever experienced symptom flares of at least one length (short, medium and/or long). Flares are associated with painful and non-painful symptoms. There is large variation for the frequency, duration, symptoms and trig- gers for flares. Over 60% of participants reported flares as stopping them from doing things they would usually do, >80% reported thinking about symptoms of flares and >80% reported flares being bothersome. Conclusions: Flares are prevalent and clinically very important in CPP. More re- search is needed to elucidate the mechanisms and characteristics underlying flares. Clinical practice should include an enquiry into flares with the aim of finding strate- gies to lessen their burden. K E Y W O R D S chronic pelvic pain, endometriosis, flares, IC/BPS, pain