Management of endometriosis from diagnosis to treatment: roadmap for the future

Chronic Pelvic Pain, Vulvar Pain Disorders, and Proteomics Profiles: New Discoveries, New Hopes

Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is generally defined as non-cyclic pain perceived in the pelvic area that has persisted from three to six months or longer and is unrelated to pregnancy. The etiology of CPP is complex, multifactorial, with heterogeneous presentation, and includes several diseases such as endometriosis, adenomyosis, and interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome. It may also be associated with sexual dysfunction, musculoskeletal disorders, and comorbid psychiatric symptoms. Vulvar pain disorders (VPDs) are typically categorized separately from chronic pelvic pain; among all VPDs, vulvodynia is a chronic vulvar pain of unknown etiology, lasting at least 3 months and that might be associated with other potentially linked factors. Proteomics represents a useful approach to study the proteome profiles of clinical samples. In this review, we have considered a selection of articles that have analyzed the protein abundance and novel protein species from various biological samples, including eutopic/ectopic endometrium, urine, serum, follicular, peritoneal fluid, and cervical mucus, potentially involved in the pathogenesis and progression of CPP and VPDs. These findings could represent valuable targets for paving the way for the differential diagnosis and therapeutic management of CPP and VDPs, thereby optimizing both the prevention and treatment of these conditions.

The 10 "Cardinal Sins" in the Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment of Endometriosis: A Bayesian Approach

Evidence-based data for endometriosis management are limited. Experiments are excluded without adequate animal models. Data are limited to symptomatic women and occasional observations. Hormonal medical therapy cannot be blinded if recognised by the patient. Randomised controlled trials are not realistic for surgery, since endometriosis is a variable disease with low numbers. Each diagnosis and treatment is an experiment with an outcome, and experience is the means by which Bayesian updating, according to the past, takes place. If the experiences of many are similar, this holds more value than an opinion. The combined experience of a group of endometriosis surgeons was used to discuss problems in managing endometriosis. Considering endometriosis as several genetically/epigenetically different diseases is important for medical therapy. Imaging cannot exclude endometriosis, and diagnostic accuracy is limited for superficial lesions, deep lesions, and cystic corpora lutea. Surgery should not be avoided for emotional reasons. Shifting infertility treatment to IVF without considering fertility surgery is questionable. The concept of complete excision should be reconsidered. Surgeons should introduce quality control, and teaching should move to explain why this occurs. The perception of information has a personal bias. These are the major problems involved in managing endometriosis, as identified by the combined experience of the authors, who are endometriosis surgeons.

Effect of Surgical Findings on Prediction of Postoperative Ovarian Reserve in Patients with Ovarian Endometrioma

Objective

Revised American Society for Reproductive Medicine (rASRM) classification for endometriosis is considered to have limited ability to predict fertility after surgery. This study evaluated the effect of surgical findings described by the rASRM classification on postoperative change in serum Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) in endometriosis.

Study Design

We retrospectively analyzed 112 patients with endometrioma who underwent laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy. The ovarian score was defined as the sum of the endometrioma score from the size and depth of endometrioma and the adhesion score from the extent and types of ovarian adhesion described in the rASRM classification. The ovarian score was correlated with the AMH levels before surgery (AMH0), 3 (AMH3), and 6 months (AMH6) after surgery. To design a model for predicting AMH6, using ovarian score and AMH0, we calculated the unstandardized predictive value of AMH6/AMH0 (UPV) by linear regression analysis. The predicted AMH6 (pAMH6) could be calculated by multiplying the UPV by AMH0. When AMH6 is less than 1.0 ng/mL, it was defined as a poor ovarian reserve group (PORG), and the accuracy of the predictive model was validated.

Results

The level of AMH declined more in rASRM stage IV compared to stage III after surgery. The ovarian score had a significant variable in the linear regression analysis with the ratio of AMH6/AMH0 (p = 0.001). The UPV was correlated with ovarian score negatively. The pAMH6 correlated with AMH6 positively and with age negatively. The pAMH6 showed sensitivity 0.564, specificity 0.909, positive predictive rate 0.786, and negative predictive rate 0.800 in the prediction of PORG (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The pAMH6 predicted the PORG at 6 months after surgery. Based on the results of our study, the surgical findings, including the size and depth of the endometrioma and extent and types of adhesion could be useful indicators for ovarian reserve after surgery.

Randomized study on the effectiveness of nomegestrol acetate plus 17β-estradiol oral contraceptive versus dienogest oral pill in women with suspected endometriosis‑associated chronic pelvic pain

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the effects of a combined oral contraceptive containing 1.5 mg 17b-estradiol (E2) and 2.5 mg nomegestrol acetate (NOMAC) or 2 mg/daily dienogest (DNG) oral progestin on endometriosis-associated chronic pelvic pain (CPP) and on the quality of life (QoL) and sexual function, by a randomized study design.

METHODS

The E2/NOMAC group and DNG group included 99 and 98 women, respectively. The levels of CPP were measured by the visual analogic scale (VAS). The QoL scores were investigated by the Short Form-36 questionnaire (SF-36). Finally, sexual function was studied using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), while sexual distress was studied by the Female Sexual Distress Scale (FSDS). The study had 3, 6 and 12-month follow-ups.

RESULTS

The intra-group analysis showed an improvement of the VAS score from baseline to the 12-month follow-up in the women of both groups (p < 0.001). The inter-group comparison showed a similar improvement of CPP (p = 0.06). Women on DNG had better SF-36 somatic (p < 0.01) and FSFI scores (p < 0.006) than women on E2/NOMAC at the 6- and 12-month follow-ups.

CONCLUSIONS

The results support the efficacy of both hormonal treatments, even if DNG was more effective than E2/NOMAC in a limited intergroup comparison.

Upregulated Fibulin-1 Increased Endometrial Stromal Cell Viability and Migration by Repressing EFEMP1-Dependent Ferroptosis in Endometriosis

Endometriosis (EMS) is a prevalent disease in women characterized by the presence of endometrial stroma and glands outside the uterus. Recent studies have showed that EMS is correlated with the resistance of endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) to ferroptosis, an iron-dependent nonapoptotic cell death. Fibulin-1 (FBLN1) is a newly identified target regulated by progesterone in the process of ESC decidualization. However, the role of FBLN1 in regulating ESC ferroptosis and EMS remains unclear. In the present study, the gene expression profiles of GSE58178, GSE23339, and GSE25628 were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, and the commonly differential genes were identified using Venn diagram analysis. The role of FBLN1 in ESC viability and migration was evaluated using Cell Counting Kit-8, transwell, and western blot analysis. We found that the FBLN1 expression was increased significantly in eutopic and ectopic endometrial tissues of patients with EMS compared with normal endometrium. FBLN1 overexpression in normal ESCs (NESCs) promoted cell viability and migration, whereas FBLN1 inhibition in ectopic ESCs (EESCs) decreased cell viability and migration. Furthermore, FBLN1 inhibition facilitated EESC death by triggering ferroptosis, as evidenced by increased Fe2+, lipid ROS, and malondialdehyde (MDA) level and decreased glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) expression and glutathione (GSH) level. Mechanistically, FBLN1 interacted with EGF-containing fibulin-like extracellular matrix protein 1 (EFEMP1) and increased the protein stability of EFEMP1. More importantly, EFEMP1 silencing repressed the effect of FBLN1 on regulating EESC ferroptosis, death, and migration. Taken together, these results verify the role of the FBLN1/EFEMP1/ferroptosis pathway in the pathogenesis of EMS, and silencing of FBLN1/EFEMP1 might be an effective approach to treat EMS.

The role of alpha lipoic acid in female and male infertility: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

Infertility is an increasingly frequent health condition, which may depend on female or male factors. Oxidative stress (OS), resulting from a disrupted balance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and protective antioxidants, affects the reproductive lifespan of men and women. In this review, we examine if alpha lipoic acid (ALA), among the oral supplements currently in use, has an evidence-based beneficial role in the context of female and male infertility.

METHODS

We performed a search from English literature using PubMed database with the following keywords: 'female infertility', 'male infertility', 'semen', 'sperm', 'sub-fertile man', 'alpha-lipoic acid', ' alpha lipoic acid', 'lipoid acid', 'endometriosis', 'chronic pelvic pain', 'follicular fluid' and 'oocytes'. We included clinical trials, multicentric studies and reviews. The total number of references found after automatically and manually excluding duplicates was 180. After primary and secondary screening, 28 articles were selected.

RESULTS

The available literature demonstrates the positive effects of ALA in multiple processes from oocyte maturation (0.87 ± 0.9% of oocyte in MII vs 0.81 ± 3.9%; p < .05) to fertilization, embryo development (57.7% vs 75.7% grade 1 embryo; p < .05) and reproductive outcomes. Its regular administration both in sub-fertile women and men shows to reduce pelvic pain in endometriosis (p < .05), regularize menstrual flow and metabolic disorders (p < .01) and improve sperm quality (p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

ALA represents a promising new molecule in the field of couple infertility. More clinical studies are needed in order to enhance its use in clinical practice.

Endometriosis-associated infertility: surgery or IVF?

Endometriosis is a chronic disease frequently associated with female infertility. The choice of treatment in case of endometriosis is one of the most discussed topics in Reproductive Medicine. The approach to the patient with endometriosis and infertility should be tailored based on different parameters. The localization of the disease, the severity of symptoms and the age of the patient are just some of them. Management options include surgery, in-vitro fertilization (IVF), or a combination of both. Data, mostly uncontrolled, would favor surgery at any stage of endometriosis, increasing the chances of natural conception compared to expectant management. Laparoscopic excision of the ovarian endometrioma should be the treatment of choice when there is associated pain. Surgery should be performed following appropriate techniques to reduce the possible damage to the ovarian reserve. Pregnancy rates around 50% have been consistently reported after surgery, which compare favorably with those obtained with IVF. IVF, on the other hand, may be preferred in case of associated male or tubal factor, in case of a reduced ovarian reserve, or if previous surgery has failed, particularly if there is no associated pain, and when the ultrasonographic features of the ovarian cyst are reassuring. Sometimes IVF may be preceded by surgery, when a difficult access to follicles at pick-up, due to the size and location of the ovarian cyst, or to severe adhesions, is anticipated. Due to the lack of solid evidence in the scenario of endometriosis-associated infertility, robust data from randomized clinical trials (RCTs) are strongly needed.

Pathogenesis Based Diagnosis and Treatment of Endometriosis

Understanding the pathophysiology of endometriosis is changing our diagnosis and treatment. Endometriosis lesions are clones of specific cells, with variable characteristics as aromatase activity and progesterone resistance. Therefore the GE theory postulates GE incidents to start endometriosis, which thus is different from implanted endometrium. The subsequent growth in the specific environment of the peritoneal cavity is associated with angiogenesis, inflammation, immunologic changes and bleeding in the lesions causing fibrosis. Fibrosis will stop the growth and lesions look burnt out. The pain caused by endometriosis lesions is variable: some lesions are not painful while other lesions cause neuroinflammation at distance up to 28 mm. Diagnosis of endometriosis is made by laparoscopy, following an experience guided clinical decision, based on history, symptoms, clinical exam and imaging. Biochemical markers are not useful. For deep endometriosis, imaging is important before surgery, notwithstanding rather poor predictive values when confidence limits, the prevalence of the disease and the absence of stratification of lesions by size, localization and depth of infiltration, are considered. Surgery of endometriosis is based on recognition and excision. Since the surrounding fibrosis belongs to the body with limited infiltration by endometriosis, a rim of fibrosis can be left without safety margins. For deep endometriosis, this results in a conservative excision eventually with discoid excision or short bowel resections. For cystic ovarian endometriosis superficial destruction, if complete, should be sufficient. Understanding pathophysiology is important for the discussion of early intervention during adolescence. Considering neuroinflammation at distance, the indication to explore large somatic nerves should be reconsidered. Also, medical therapy of endometriosis has to be reconsidered since the variability of lesions results in a variable response, some lesions not requiring estrogens for growth and some being progesterone resistant. If the onset of endometriosis is driven by oxidative stress from retrograde menstruation and the peritoneal microbiome, medical therapy could prevent new lesions and becomes indicated after surgery.

Adolescent Dietary Habit-induced Obstetric and Gynecologic Disease (ADHOGD) as a New Hypothesis-Possible Involvement of Clock System

There are growing concerns that poor dietary behaviors at young ages will increase the future risk of chronic diseases in adulthood. We found that female college students who skipped breakfast had higher incidences of dysmenorrhea and irregular menstruation, suggesting that meal skipping affects ovarian and uterine functions. Since dysmenorrhea is more prevalent in those with a past history of dieting, we proposed a novel concept that inadequate dietary habits in adolescence become a trigger for the subsequent development of organic gynecologic diseases. Since inadequate feeding that was limited during the non-active phase impaired reproductive functions in post-adolescent female rats, we hypothesize that circadian rhythm disorders due to breakfast skipping disrupts the hypothalamic–pituitary–ovarian axis, impairs the reproductive rhythm, and leads to ovarian and uterine dysfunction. To explain how reproductive dysfunction is memorized from adolescence to adulthood, we hypothesize that the peripheral clock system also plays a critical role in the latent progression of reproductive diseases together with the central system, and propose naming this concept “adolescent dietary habit-induced obstetric and gynecologic disease (ADHOGD)”. This theory will contribute to analyzing the etiologies of and developing prophylaxes for female reproductive diseases from novel aspects. In this article, we describe the precise outline of the above hypotheses with the supporting evidence in the literature.

HORMONAL THERAPY IN WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE WITH ENDOMETRIOSIS: AN UPDATE

Medical therapy of endometriosis is under continuous reevaluation. Hereby we updated the drugs currently available or under investigation for the hormonal treatment of endometriosis.