MECHANISMS OF PAIN IN WOMEN WITH ENDOMETRIOSIS

这个子项目是许多研究子项目中的一个 由NIH/NCRR资助的中心赠款提供的资源。子项目和 研究者（PI）可能从另一个NIH来源获得了主要资金， 因此可以在其他CRISP条目中表示。所列机构为 研究中心，而研究中心不一定是研究者所在的机构。 子宫内膜异位症是一种常见疾病，估计影响12%的育龄妇女和高达80%的慢性盆腔疼痛妇女。用于治疗子宫内膜异位症妇女的标准医疗和手术治疗是不够的，因为许多妇女没有得到足够的疼痛缓解，即使最初对治疗有反应，疼痛也经常复发。尽管子宫内膜异位症的发生频率很高，而且往往对女性的生活产生负面影响，但人们对一些（但不是全部）子宫内膜异位症女性发生慢性盆腔疼痛的原因和方式知之甚少。已经探索了各种可能性，许多研究未能找到疼痛症状与子宫内膜异位症植入物的范围或扩散之间的关联。 其他慢性疼痛综合征中的疼痛，如肠易激综合征、纤维肌痛、颞下颌关节紊乱病和外阴痛，已被证明与大脑处理和解释疼痛的方式异常有关，而不是来自特定器官或组织的直接损伤或炎症。这些疼痛综合征的一个常见发现是对压力的压痛增加，甚至远离疼痛症状的主要部位。这些慢性疼痛障碍的成功治疗通常包括改善大脑处理和解释疼痛的方式的药物。对少数患有子宫内膜异位症和慢性盆腔疼痛的妇女的初步研究表明，疼痛处理的异常也可能是这种情况的一个问题。如果这种异常在患有子宫内膜异位症相关慢性盆腔疼痛的女性中得到证实，这可能会导致这种疾病治疗的范式转变。除了旨在抑制或切除子宫内膜异位症植入物（即激素药物和/或手术）的治疗外，一些女性也可能受益于旨在纠正疼痛处理异常的治疗。因此，本研究的总体目的是更好地了解子宫内膜异位症女性慢性盆腔疼痛的原因。本研究的具体目的是描述子宫内膜异位症妇女的生理、生化和心理功能谱，并确定子宫内膜异位症相关慢性盆腔疼痛妇女的疼痛处理是否异常。这项研究包括一个医疗采访和检查，填写几份问卷，抽血，和一个简短的疼痛测试会议。'

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Endometriosis is a common ailment estimated to affect 12% of reproductive-aged women and up to 80% of women with chronic pelvic pain. Standard medical and surgical treatments used to treat women with endometriosis are insufficient because many women do not get adequate relief of their pain and pain often returns even if they initially responded to treatment. Despite the high frequency and often negative impact on women's lives, little is known about why and how some, but not all, women with endometriosis develop chronic pelvic pain. A variety of possibilities have been explored with numerous studies failing to find an association between pain symptoms and the extent or spread of the endometriosis implants. Pain in other chronic pain syndromes, such as irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, temporomandibular disorders, and vulvodynia, has been shown to be related to abnormalities in the way the brain processes and interprets pain, rather than from direct damage or inflammation of specific organs or tissues. A common finding in these pain syndromes is increased tenderness to pressure, even far away from the primary site of pain symptoms. Successful treatment of these chronic pain disorders often includes medications that improve the way the brain processes and interprets pain. Preliminary research in a small number of women with endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain suggests that abnormalities in pain processing may also be a problem in this condition. If such abnormalities are confirmed in women with endometriosis-associated chronic pelvic pain, this could result in a paradigm shift in the treatment of this condition. In addition to therapies aimed at suppressing or excising endometriosis implants (i.e. hormonal medications and/or surgery), some women may also benefit from treatments aimed at correcting abnormalities in pain processing. Thus, the overall purpose of this research study is to better understand the cause of chronic pelvic pain in women with endometriosis. The specific aims of this study are to describe the spectrum of physical, biochemical, and psychological function of women with endometriosis and determine whether an abnormality in pain processing occurs in a subset of women with endometriosis-associated chronic pelvic pain. The study involves a medical interview and examination, filling out several questionnaires, a blood draw, and a brief pain testing session.'