Symptom flares: a clinically important but under-explored challenge for
women with chronic pelvic pain
Abstract
Objective: To investigate the prevalence and experience of symptom
flares in women with Chronic Pelvic Pain (CPP) as well as their triggers
Design: Cross-sectional questionnaire within the Translational Research
in Pelvic Pain clinical cohort study. Setting: Women with CPP, with
subgroups of women with endometriosis (EAP), interstitial
cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (BPS), comorbid endometriosis and
interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (EABP), and those with
pelvic pain without endometriosis or interstitial cystitis/bladder pain
syndrome (PP). Population or sample: 100 participants across subgroups.
Methods: Questionnaire within large cohort study. Main Outcome Measures:
The prevalence and characteristics of short, medium and long symptom
flares in CPP. Results: 76% of women with CPP experience symptom flares
of at least one length (short, medium and/or long). Flares are
associated with painful and non-painful symptoms. There is large
variation amongst those with CPP for the frequency, duration, symptoms
and triggers for these flares. Participants reported flares as stopping
them from doing things they would usually do, participants thinking
about symptoms of flares as well as flares being bothersome.
Conclusions: Flares are prevalent and clinically very important in the
context of CPP. More research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms and
characteristics underlying flares. Clinical practice should include an
enquiry of flares with the aim of finding strategies to lessen their
burden. Funding: This project has received funding from the Innovative
Medicines Initiative 2 Joint Undertaking under grant agreement No
777500. This Joint Undertaking receives support from the European
Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme and EFPIA
Companies.