Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39370860›Full record

ArticleUltrasonography (Seoul, Korea)2024

Relationship between endometriosis and uterine cervical elasticity assessed using ultrasound strain elastography.

Anjeza Xholli, Filippo Molinari, Umberto Scovazzi, Ambrogio Pietro Londero, Isabella Perugi, Chiara Kratochwila, Francesca Cremonini, Angelo Cagnacci

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Ultrasonography (Seoul, Korea), 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. A role of the uterine cervix in the pathogenesis of adenomyosis and endometriosis?International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics · 2025
    Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Anjeza XholliAcademic Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IRCCS San Martino Hospital, Genoa, Italy.
Filippo MolinariAcademic Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IRCCS San Martino Hospital, Genoa, Italy.
Umberto ScovazziAcademic Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IRCCS San Martino Hospital, Genoa, Italy.
Ambrogio Pietro LonderoObstetrics and Gynecology Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Pediatrico Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy.
Isabella PerugiAcademic Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IRCCS San Martino Hospital, Genoa, Italy.
Chiara KratochwilaAcademic Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IRCCS San Martino Hospital, Genoa, Italy.
Francesca CremoniniAcademic Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IRCCS San Martino Hospital, Genoa, Italy.
Angelo CagnacciAcademic Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IRCCS San Martino Hospital, Genoa, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeInternal cervical os (ICO) stiffness is related to menstrual pain, a key symptom of endometriosis. The study evaluated whether women with endometriosis have a stiffer ICO than unaffected women.

methodsA retrospective cross-sectional analysis was conducted using prospectively collected data from women with and without endometriosis, spanning from June 2020 to September 2022. Endometriosis was diagnosed through clinical and ultrasound evaluations, with histological confirmation in a subset of participants. Strain elastography (SE) was employed to measure tissue elasticity in four cervical regions of interest: the ICO and the anterior, posterior, and middle cervical compartments (ACC, PCC, and MCC, respectively). Tissue elasticity was quantified using a color-based scoring system ranging from 0.1 (blue, indicating less elasticity) to 3.0 (red, indicating greater elasticity).

resultsOverall, 287 women were included, with 157 diagnosed with endometriosis and 130 controls. On SE, women with endometriosis exhibited a lower color score (mean±standard deviation), indicating lower elasticity, for the ICO (0.56±0.28 vs. 0.70±0.26, P=0.001) and PCC (0.69±0.30 vs. 0.80±0.27, P=0.002). Additionally, they had a lower ICO/MCC ratio (0.45±0.28 vs. 0.60±0.32, P=0.001) and ICO/ACC ratio (0.68±0.42 vs. 0.85±0.39, P=0.001). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that endometriosis was associated with the ICO color score (odds ratio, 0.053; 95% confidence interval, 0.014 to 0.202; R2=0.358; P=0.001), even after adjusting for confounding factors like the presence of myomas (P=0.040) and the use of hormonal therapy (P=0.001). The results were corroborated in women with histologically confirmed endometriosis (n=71).

conclusionThe findings suggest a potential relationship between a stiffer ICO and endometriosis.

Indexed as

Cervix uteriDysmenorrheaElasticity imaging techniquesEndometriosisMenstruation disturbancesPelvic pain

Identifiers

PMID39370860
PMCPMC11532525

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.