Objective: To investigate alterations in tactile, pain thresholds and pain tolerance thresholds in patients with endometriosis using a multimodality approach. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Multidisciplinary referral center. Patient(s): Women with proven endometriosis (N ¼ 35) and healthy controls (N ¼ 38). Intervention(s): Pain processing was tested using quantitative sensory testing (QST) to investigate sensation, pain, and pain tolerance thresholds for thermal, electrical, and pressure stimuli. Main Outcome Measure(s): Differences in QST measures in patients with endometriosis and in healthy controls on the endometriosis site and control sites, and the association between QST outcomes and patient characteristics. Result(s): We observed a significantly decreased pain tolerance in patients with endometriosis, independent of clinical pain intensity or revised American Society for Reproductive Medicine stage, compared with healthy controls. Conclusion(s): Increasing knowledge concerning mechanisms underlying the pain of women with endometriosis creates opportunities to develop new treatment options. More attention should be paid not only to treat endometriosis in a surgical or pharmacologic way, but also to desensitize by pain education or cognitive therapy. (Fertil Steril Ò 2018;110:1118-28. Ó2018 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.) El resumen está disponible en Español al final del artículo.
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