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Vannuccini S, Petraglia F, Carmona F, Calaf J, Chapron C. The modern management of uterine fibroids-related abnormal uterine bleeding. Fertil Steril 2024; 122:20-30. [PMID: 38723935 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2024.04.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2024] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Uterine fibroids (UFs) are the most common female benign pelvic tumors, affecting >60% of patients aged 30-44 years. Uterine fibroids are asymptomatic in a large percentage of cases and may be identified incidentally using a transvaginal ultrasound or a magnetic resonance imaging scan. However, in approximately 30% of cases, UFs affect the quality of life and women's health, with abnormal uterine bleeding and heavy menstrual bleeding being the most common complaints, along with iron deficiency (ID) and ID anemia. Medical treatments used for UFs-related abnormal uterine bleeding include symptomatic agents, such as nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs and tranexamic acid, and hormonal therapies, including combined oral contraceptives, gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists or antagonists, levonorgestrel intrauterine systems, selective progesterone receptor modulators, and aromatase inhibitors. Nevertheless, few drugs are approved specifically for UF treatment, and most of them manage the symptoms. Surgical options include fertility-sparing treatments, such as myomectomy, or nonconservative options, such as hysterectomy, especially in perimenopausal women who are not responding to any treatment. Radiologic interventions are also available: uterine artery embolization, high-intensity focused ultrasound or magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound, and radiofrequency ablation. Furthermore, the management of ID and ID anemia, as a consequence of acute and chronic bleeding, should be taken into account with the use of iron replacement therapy both during medical treatment and before and after a surgical procedure. In the case of symptomatic UFs, the location, size, multiple UFs, or coexistent adenomyosis should guide the choice with a shared decision-making process, considering long- and short-term treatment goals expected by the patient, including pregnancy desire or wish to preserve the uterus independently of reproductive goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Vannuccini
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Experimental, Clinical, and Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy.
| | - Felice Petraglia
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Experimental, Clinical, and Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Francisco Carmona
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joaquim Calaf
- Hospital Sant Pau, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Charles Chapron
- Département de Gynécologie, Obstétrique et Médecine de la Reproduction, Faculté de Santé, Faculté de Médicine Paris Centre, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU), Université Paris-Cité, Paris, France
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Habiba M, Guo SW, Benagiano G. Adenomyosis and Abnormal Uterine Bleeding: Review of the Evidence. Biomolecules 2024; 14:616. [PMID: 38927019 PMCID: PMC11201750 DOI: 10.3390/biom14060616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Thomas Cullen described bleeding abnormalities and dysmenorrhea as the "expected" presentations of adenomyomas. Adenomyosis is included within the FIGO classification of structural causes of abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB). Nevertheless, this long-standing association has been questioned by some authors who reported a high incidence of adenomyosis in uteri removed for indications other than AUB or dysmenorrhea. Here, we examine evidence for the link between adenomyosis and AUB. METHODS A comprehensive Medline literature review of all publications to October 2023. RESULTS Sixty-three articles were identified and included in the review. Despite a large body of studies, the available literature does not provide conclusive evidence of a link between adenomyosis and AUB. This is because of unsuitable study design, or poor characterization of the study population or of the inclusion or exclusion criteria. Additional challenges arise because of the lack of agreed criteria for diagnosing adenomyosis and the often absence of detailed assessment of menstrual blood loss. Adenomyosis often coexists with other conditions that have also been linked to similar symptoms, and many cases of adenomyosis are asymptomatic. CONCLUSION Most of the existing literature and studies that addressed treatment outcome of adenomyosis started from the premise that a link between the condition and AUB had been proven. Yet, published information shows that aspects such a relationship is still uncertain. Further research is needed to address the relation between AUB and adenomyosis burden (or subtypes), distribution, and concomitant pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marwan Habiba
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
- Women and Perinatal Services, Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester LE1 5WW, UK
| | - Sun-Wei Guo
- Research Institute, Shanghai Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, China;
| | - Giuseppe Benagiano
- Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy;
- Geneva Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
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Joachim GE, Bohnert KM, As-Sanie S, Harris HR, Upson K. Cannabis smoking, tobacco cigarette smoking, and adenomyosis risk. Fertil Steril 2023; 119:838-846. [PMID: 36716812 PMCID: PMC10900224 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2023.01.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate cannabis smoking and tobacco cigarette smoking in relation to adenomyosis risk. DESIGN We used data from a case-control study of adenomyosis conducted among enrollees ages 18-59 years of an integrated health care system in Washington State. The case-control study used 2 control groups given the challenge of selecting noncases when cases are diagnosed by hysterectomy. SUBJECTS Cases (n = 386) were enrollees with incident, pathology-confirmed adenomyosis diagnosed between April 1, 2001, and March 31, 2006. The 2 control groups comprised hysterectomy controls (n = 233) with pathology-confirmed absence of adenomyosis and population controls (n = 323) with an intact uterus selected randomly from the health care system population and frequency matched to cases on age. EXPOSURE Detailed data on cannabis and tobacco cigarette smoking history were ascertained through in-person structured interviews, allowing estimation of joint-years of cannabis smoking and pack-years of tobacco cigarette smoking. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations between cannabis smoking, tobacco cigarette smoking, and adenomyosis were estimated using multivariable unconditional logistic regression. Analyses were adjusted for age, reference year, menarche age, education, and pack-years of cigarette smoking (or joint-years of cannabis smoking). RESULTS No association was observed between cannabis smoking history and adenomyosis risk. However, we did observe the suggestion of an association between ever tobacco cigarette smoking and adenomyosis risk, comparing cases to hysterectomy controls (OR, 1.3; 95% CI, 0.9-1.9) and population controls (OR, 1.2; 95% CI, 0.8-1.8). Our data suggested a 50% increased odds of adenomyosis with >15 pack-years of smoking (vs. never smoking), comparing cases to hysterectomy controls (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 0.9-2.6; Ptrend=.135). The suggestion of a 40% increased adenomyosis odds was observed with smoking >5-15 pack-years (vs. never smoking), comparing cases to population controls (OR, 1.4; 95% CI, 0.8-2.4; Ptrend=0.136). CONCLUSION In the first study of cannabis smoking and adenomyosis risk, no association was observed. However, our data suggested an increased odds of adenomyosis with history of tobacco cigarette smoking. Further research is warranted to replicate our results given the substantial morbidity with adenomyosis and frequency of cigarette smoking and recreational and medical cannabis use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace E Joachim
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Lyman Briggs College, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
| | - Kipling M Bohnert
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
| | - Sawsan As-Sanie
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Holly R Harris
- Program in Epidemiology, Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington; Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, Washington
| | - Kristen Upson
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
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Chapron C, Vannuccini S, Santulli P, Abrão MS, Carmona F, Fraser IS, Gordts S, Guo SW, Just PA, Noël JC, Pistofidis G, Van den Bosch T, Petraglia F. Diagnosing adenomyosis: an integrated clinical and imaging approach. Hum Reprod Update 2020; 26:392-411. [PMID: 32097456 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmz049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 166] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2019] [Revised: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adenomyosis is a benign uterine disorder where endometrial glands and stroma are pathologically demonstrated within the uterine myometrium. The pathogenesis involves sex steroid hormone abnormalities, inflammation, fibrosis and neuroangiogenesis, even though the proposed mechanisms are not fully understood. For many years, adenomyosis has been considered a histopathological diagnosis made after hysterectomy, classically performed in perimenopausal women with abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) or pelvic pain. Until recently, adenomyosis was a clinically neglected condition. Nowadays, adenomyosis may also be diagnosed by non-invasive techniques, because of imaging advancements. Thus, a new epidemiological scenario has developed with an increasing number of women of reproductive age with ultrasound (US) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) diagnosis of adenomyosis. This condition is associated with a wide variety of symptoms (pelvic pain, AUB and/or infertility), but it is also recognised that some women are asymptomatic. Furthermore, adenomyosis often coexists with other gynecological comorbidities, such as endometriosis and uterine fibroids, and the diagnostic criteria are still not universally agreed. Therefore, the diagnostic process for adenomyosis is challenging. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE We present a comprehensive review on the diagnostic criteria of adenomyosis, including clinical signs and symptoms, ultrasound and MRI features and histopathological aspects of adenomyotic lesions. We also briefly summarise the relevant theories on adenomyosis pathogenesis, in order to provide the pathophysiological background to understand the different phenotypes and clinical presentation. The review highlights the controversies of multiple existing criteria, summarising all of the available evidences on adenomyosis diagnosis. The review aims also to underline the future perspective for diagnosis, stressing the importance of an integrated clinical and imaging approach, in order to identify this gynecological disease, so often underdiagnosed. SEARCH METHODS PubMed and Google Scholar were searched for all original and review articles related to diagnosis of adenomyosis published in English until October 2018. OUTCOMES The challenge in diagnosing adenomyosis starts with the controversies in the available pathogenic theories. The difficulties in understanding the way the disease arises and progresses have an impact also on the specific diagnostic criteria to use for a correct identification. Currently, the diagnosis of adenomyosis may be performed by non-invasive methods and the clinical signs and symptoms, despite their heterogeneity and poor specificity, may guide the clinician for a suspicion of the disease. Imaging techniques, including 2D and 3D US as well as MRI, allow the proper identification of the different phenotypes of adenomyosis (diffuse and/or focal). From a histological point of view, if the diagnosis of diffuse adenomyosis is straightforward, in more limited disease, the diagnosis has poor inter-observer reproducibility, leading to extreme variations in the prevalence of disease. Therefore, an integrated non-invasive diagnostic approach, considering risk factors profile, clinical symptoms, clinical examination and imaging, is proposed to adequately identify and characterise adenomyosis. WIDER IMPLICATIONS The development of the diagnostic tools allows the physicians to make an accurate diagnosis of adenomyosis by means of non-invasive techniques, representing a major breakthrough, in the light of the clinical consequences of this disease. Furthermore, this technological improvement will open a new epidemiological scenario, identifying different groups of women, with a dissimilar clinical and/or imaging phenotypes of adenomyosis, and this should be object of future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Chapron
- Department of Gynecology Obstetrics II and Reproductive Medicine, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Faculté de Médecine, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpital Universitaire Paris Centre (HUPC), Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Cochin, Paris, France.,Department "Development, Reproduction and Cancer", Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016 (Doctor Vaiman), Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.,Department "Development, Reproduction and Cancer", Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016 (Professor Batteux), Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Silvia Vannuccini
- Department of Gynecology Obstetrics II and Reproductive Medicine, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Faculté de Médecine, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpital Universitaire Paris Centre (HUPC), Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Cochin, Paris, France.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Careggi University Hospital, Largo Brambilla 3, 50134, Florence, Italy.,Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Pharmacology and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, Florence, Italy.,Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, viale Mario Bracci, 16, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Pietro Santulli
- Department of Gynecology Obstetrics II and Reproductive Medicine, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Faculté de Médecine, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpital Universitaire Paris Centre (HUPC), Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Cochin, Paris, France.,Department "Development, Reproduction and Cancer", Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016 (Doctor Vaiman), Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.,Department "Development, Reproduction and Cancer", Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016 (Professor Batteux), Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Mauricio S Abrão
- Endometriosis Section, Gynecologic Division, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.,Gynecologic Division, BP-A Beneficencia Portuguesa de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Francisco Carmona
- Department of Gynecology, Institut Clinic of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Neonatology, Hospital Clinic, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ian S Fraser
- School of Women's and Children's Health, Royal Hospital for Women, University of New South Wales, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Stephan Gordts
- Leuven Institute for Fertility & Embryology, Schipvaartstraat 4, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sun-Wei Guo
- Department of Biochemistry, Shanghai Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-Related Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Pierre-Alexandre Just
- Faculté de Médecine, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris Centre (AP-HP), Hôpital Cochin, Service de pathologie, CAncer Research for PErsonalized Medicine (CARPEM), Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Christophe Noël
- Department of Pathology, Erasme University Hospital/Curepath, Free University of Brussels (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - George Pistofidis
- Department of Gynecologic Endoscopy, Lefkos Stavros Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Thierry Van den Bosch
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospitals KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Felice Petraglia
- Department of Experimental, Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Largo Brambilla 3, 50134, Florence, Italy
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Abstract
Adenomyosis, characterized by the presence of endometrial glands and stroma within the myometrium, can have a substantial impact on the quality of women's lives. Despite this, the epidemiologic research on this condition lags considerably behind that of other noncancerous reproductive health conditions. The lack of progress and knowledge is due in part to the challenges in designing valid epidemiologic studies, since the diagnosis of adenomyosis historically has been limited to the examination of uterine specimens from hysterectomy. This review describes the available data on the frequency of this condition and the epidemiologic investigation thus far into the risk factors for disease-highlighting the methodologic and inference challenges primarily around study sample selection. We conclude with providing recommendations for approaches to future epidemiologic study that capitalize on the advancements in imaging technology to detect adenomyosis and provide a fuller picture of the occurrence and risk factors for disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen Upson
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
| | - Stacey A Missmer
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan.,Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan.,Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
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Liu XF, Huang LH, Zhang C, Huang GH, Yan LM, He J. A comparison of the cost-utility of ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound and hysterectomy for adenomyosis: a retrospective study. BJOG 2017; 124 Suppl 3:40-45. [PMID: 28856866 DOI: 10.1111/1471-0528.14746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate cost-effectiveness of ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (USgHIFU) and open hysterectomy for adenomyosis. DESIGN A retrospective analysis. SETTING Gynaecological department in a single centre in China. POPULATION Patients with symptomatic adenomyosis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Cost difference between patients with adenomyosis treated with USgHIFU and open hysterectomy. METHODS Three hundred and sixty-eight patients with adenomyosis were retrospectively reviewed. Among them, 302 patients were treated with USgHIFU and 66 patients with open hysterectomy. All of them had 1-, 3-, 6- and 12-month follow ups. The patients' quality of life (QOL) was evaluated and the utility scores were obtained from a rating scale to conduct a cost-utility analysis (CUA). RESULTS No significant differences were found at any follow-up time point in the QOL between the two groups (P > 0.05). After treatment, the QOL scores significantly increased in both groups (P < 0.05): the quality adjusted life year (QALY) for patients treated with USgHIFU was USUS$5256.48, whereas it was USUS$7510.03 for patients treated with open hysterectomy. Both incremental cost and sensitivity analysis showed that USgHIFU was less costly than open hysterectomy. CONCLUSIONS The QOL of patients with adenomyosis can be significantly improved by either USgHIFU or open hysterectomy, but USgHIFU is less costly. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT USgHIFU can safely be used to treat patients with adenomyosis and significantly improved the quality of life of patients after treatment. The cost of USgHIFU is less than that of surgical treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- X F Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Suining Central Hospital, Sichuan, China
| | - L H Huang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Suining Central Hospital, Sichuan, China
| | - C Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Suining Central Hospital, Sichuan, China
| | - G H Huang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Suining Central Hospital, Sichuan, China
| | - L M Yan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Suining Central Hospital, Sichuan, China
| | - J He
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Suining Central Hospital, Sichuan, China
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