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Visual Analogue Scale Cut-off Point of Seven Represents Poor Quality of Life in Patients with Endometriosis

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Abstract

Establishing objective criteria to assess endometriosis symptoms is crucial in defining therapeutic strategies. The visual analogue scale (VAS) is the most used system to enhance the accuracy and reduce the subjectivity of pain assessment, and symptoms of endometriosis are considered severe when the VAS score is ≥ 7 cm. Pain symptoms can significantly impact patients’ quality of life, resulting in psychological and social distress. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether a VAS cut-off point of 7 cm for each pain symptom correlates with a diminished quality of life in women with endometriosis. This retrospective study included 1129 patients who underwent surgical treatment for endometriosis. Dysmenorrhea, acyclic pelvic pain, deep dyspareunia, dyschezia, and dysuria were assessed using a 0–10 cm VAS. The Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire was employed to evaluate the quality of life 6 months prior to surgery. Dysmenorrhea was the most prevalent symptom reported in 93.6% of cases, with a mean VAS of 7.6 cm. The quality of life reported was reduced in most patients, with domain scores ranging from 49.4 to 80.1. The mean SF-36 scores in all domains were significantly lower in patients with severe pain (VAS score ≥ 7 cm) compared to those with mild to moderate pain (VAS < 7 cm). This trend was observed across all evaluated pain symptoms. Our research demonstrates that the prevalent VAS cut-off point for establishing severe pain symptoms in endometriosis (VAS ≥ 7 cm) accurately represents the negative impact of the disease on women’s quality of life, as assessed via the SF-36 questionnaire.

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Data Availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, MSA, upon request.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Disciplina de Ginecologia, Departamento de Obstetrícia E Ginecologia, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Marina Paula Andres, Luiza Gama Coelho Riccio, Henrique Mendonca Abrao, Lais Braga & Mauricio Simoes Abrao

  2. Gynecologic Division, Beneficência Portuguesa de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Marina Paula Andres, Henrique Mendonca Abrao & Mauricio Simoes Abrao

  3. Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade Santo Amaro, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Luiza Gama Coelho Riccio & Mariana Simionato Manzini

Authors
  1. Marina Paula Andres
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  2. Luiza Gama Coelho Riccio
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  3. Henrique Mendonca Abrao
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  4. Mariana Simionato Manzini
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  5. Lais Braga
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  6. Mauricio Simoes Abrao
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All authors have contributed significantly towards the manuscript completion.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mauricio Simoes Abrao.

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Ethics Approval

The study received approval from the Internal Review Board (IRB) of the Hospital Beneficência Portuguesa of São Paulo (approval number 3.148.286/2019).

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All patients included in this study have signed an informed consent form.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Andres, M.P., Riccio, L.G.C., Abrao, H.M. et al. Visual Analogue Scale Cut-off Point of Seven Represents Poor Quality of Life in Patients with Endometriosis. Reprod. Sci. 31, 1146–1150 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43032-023-01406-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s43032-023-01406-6

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