1. Association between dysmenorrhea and chronic pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of population-based studies
- Author
-
Beixi Li, Ashley L. Gubbels, Shannon M. Smith, Amy R. Benjamin, Donna A. Kreher, and Rui Li
- Subjects
Adult ,PubMed ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Adolescent ,Population ,Endometriosis ,Pelvic Pain ,Young Adult ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Dysmenorrhea ,Internal medicine ,Epidemiology ,Humans ,Medicine ,030212 general & internal medicine ,Risk factor ,education ,Aged ,Pain Measurement ,Aged, 80 and over ,education.field_of_study ,030219 obstetrics & reproductive medicine ,business.industry ,Pelvic pain ,Chronic pain ,Obstetrics and Gynecology ,Middle Aged ,medicine.disease ,Confidence interval ,Meta-analysis ,Female ,Observational study ,Chronic Pain ,medicine.symptom ,business - Abstract
Objective The objective of the study was to synthesize the epidemiological findings for the associations between dysmenorrhea, including primary dysmenorrhea and endometriosis-associated dysmenorrhea and any chronic pain conditions, including chronic pelvic pain, and chronic nonpelvic pain. Data Sources The data sources included PubMed, Embase, and CINAHL from inception to December 2019. Study Eligibility Criteria The study criteria included observational population-based studies in which the relationship between dysmenorrhea and the presence or severity of chronic pain was examined. Study Appraisal and Synthesis Methods Each study was double coded and evaluated for bias based on the modified Newcastle and Ottawa Scale. Random-effect meta-analyses were conducted to quantify the associations between dysmenorrhea and the presence of chronic pelvic and nonpelvic pain. Results Out of 9452 records, 32 studies were included, with 14 reporting associations between dysmenorrhea and chronic pelvic pain, and 20 for dysmenorrhea and chronic nonpelvic pain. Primary dysmenorrhea and endometriosis-associated dysmenorrhea were examined in 7 studies, respectively. More than 30% of the studies were categorized as poor quality, 56% as moderate, and 12.5% as high. Dysmenorrhea was positively associated with both the presence and severity of chronic pelvic and nonpelvic pain conditions. Based on 6689 women from 8 studies, those with chronic pelvic pain had 2.43 (95% confidence interval, 1.98–2.99, I2, 42%) times the odds of having dysmenorrhea compared with those without. Based on 3750 women from 11 studies, those with chronic nonpelvic pain had 2.62 (95% confidence interval, 1.84–3.72, I2, 72%) times the odds of having dysmenorrhea compared with those without. Overall, dysmenorrhea was associated with 2.50 (95% confidence interval, 2.02–3.10) times the odds of chronic pain, which did not differ by chronic pelvic vs chronic nonpelvic pain, community vs clinical populations, or different geographical regions. Conclusions Dysmenorrhea may be a general risk factor for chronic pain, although whether primary dysmenorrhea increases the risk for chronic pain is unclear. Given that adolescence is a sensitive period for neurodevelopment, elucidating the role of primary dysmenorrhea in pain chronicity in future longitudinal studies is important for preventing both chronic pelvic and nonpelvic pain.
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF