An evaluation of quality of life in women with endometriosis who underwent primary surgery: a 6-month follow up in Sabah Women & Children Hospital, Sabah, Malaysia

Abstract

Endometriosis is a complex disease primarily affecting women of reproductive age worldwide. The management goals are to improve the quality of life (QoL), alleviate the symptoms and prevent severe disease. This prospective cohort study was to assess the QoL in women with endometriosis that underwent primary surgery. A pre- and post-operative questionnaire via ED-5Q and general VAS score used for the evaluation for endometrial-like pain such as dysmenorrhoea and dyspareunia. A total of 280 patients underwent intervention; 224 laparoscopically and 56 via laparotomy mostly with stage II disease with ovarian endometriomas. Improvements in dysmenorrhoea pain scores from 5.7 to 4.15 and dyspareunia from 4.05 to 2.17 (p <.001) were observed. The Self Rate Assessment was improved; 6.66–4.68 post-operatively (p < .05). In EQ-5 D Index, the anxiety and activities outcomes showed a significant worsening post-intervention. There was no correlation between the stage of disease and endometrial pain; (p = .289), method of intervention (p = .290) and usage of post-operative hormonal therapy (p = .632). This study concluded that surgical treatment improved the QoL with added hormonal therapy post-intervention, despite not reaching statistical significance, showed a promising result.

Impact statement

• Surgical intervention does improve the QoL for women with endometriosis however post interventional hormonal therapy is remain inconclusive.

Keywords:

• Endometriosis
• primary surgery
• dysmenorrhoea
• pain score
• quality of life

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank National Medical Research Registry (NMRR) Malaysia, all staff in Sabah Children & Women Hospital and Sabah Clinical Research Center (CRC) Queen Elizabeth II for all the effort in finishing this study.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest.