Table 3.
Characterization of gastrointestinal symptoms
| Patients with endometriosis n = 109 | |
|---|---|
| Onset of gastrointestinal symptoms (n, %), missing value = 19 | |
| Gradual | 70, 64.2 |
| Rapid | 20, 18.3 |
| Duration of gastrointestinal complaints (years) | 8.00 (4.00–15.50) |
| The evolution of symptoms over time (n, %), missing value = 17 | |
| Constant complaints | 14, 12.8 |
| Intermittent complaints | 45, 41.3 |
| Progressively worse | 33, 30.3 |
| Gastrointestinal complaints during the last year (Yes/No) | 93/16 |
| Ability to differentiate between pain due to endometriosis and from the gastrointestinal tract (Yes/No/Unknown) | 53/32/24 |
| Has changed occupation because of complaints (Yes/No/Unknown) | 5/101/3 |
| Relatives with similar complaints (Yes/No/Unknown) | 46/47/16 |
| Experience a trigger for the complaints (Yes/No/Unknown) | 35/55/19 |
| Triggers for gastrointestinal complaints (n) | |
| Menstruation | 13 |
| Stress | 6 |
| Abdominal surgery | 4 |
| Cessation of combined oral contraceptives | 4 |
| Endometriosis | 3 |
| Side-effects from medications | 2 |
| Food | 1 |
| Sexual activity | 1 |
| Pregnancy | 1 |
| Gastrointestinal infection | 1 |
| Diagnosis (n) | |
| Have not been given any name | 21 |
| Endometriosis | 16 |
| IBS | 16 |
| Gastritis | 6 |
| Sensitive stomach/bowels | 3 |
| Chronic constipation | 2 |
| Reflux, dyspepsia | 2 |
| Stress | 1 |
| Allergy | 1 |
| Bowel spasm | 1 |
| Stricture | 1 |
IBS = irritable bowel syndrome, n, % = number and percentage of subjects. Patients presented can have more than one trigger for gastrointestinal symptoms and more than one diagnosis ascribed to the symptom. Values are given as median [interquartile range (IQR)] and number, %