Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41826061›Full record

ArticleBJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology2026

Symptom Flares in Endometriosis: Burden, Self-Management and Barriers to Care in a Cross-Sectional Survey.

Lydia Coxon, Emma Evans, Francine Toye, Emma Cox, Katy Vincent

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

5 authors.

Lydia CoxonNuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Emma EvansNuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Francine ToyeOxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.
Emma CoxEndometriosis, UK.
Katy VincentNuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo explore the characteristics of symptom flares, individual experiences and behaviours during flares in people with endometriosis.

designOnline questionnaire shared on patient support sites.

settingPeople with a confirmed or working diagnosis of endometriosis (a working diagnosis is given by clinicians based on symptoms/history; individuals may or may not go on to have further imaging/surgical investigations). POPULATION OR SAMPLE: A total of 236 responses were collected.

methodsDescriptive and comparative analysis of quantitative data, and thematic analysis of qualitative data.

main outcome measuresThe characteristics, triggers, treatments and strategies for symptom flares together with perceived predictability and self-efficacy in relation to flares, healthcare access during flare, advice received and overall endometriosis-related quality-of-life.

resultsWe identified a wide variation in the characteristics and treatments/strategies. 31.2% stated that they were 'not at all' confident coping with long flares, and around 1/3 of participants found flares 'not at all' predictable. Only 35.3% reported receiving advice from a healthcare provider about flares. We developed 5 themes to suggest why participants did not contact healthcare providers: 'what can they do?', 'I can cope, it will end', 'broken healthcare system', 'perceived dismissal and gaslighting' and 'symptoms stop me'.

conclusionsFlares have a large impact on quality-of-life and are clinically very important. Individuals do not commonly receive advice from healthcare providers or contact healthcare providers during a flare. More research, in a more diverse sample, is needed to identify mechanisms underlying flares, as well as developing and disseminating management tools to prevent, manage and treat flares.

Indexed as

EndometriosisHealth Services AccessibilitySelf-ManagementSymptom Flare UpAdultCost of IllnessCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMiddle AgedQuality of LifeSelf EfficacySurveys and QuestionnairesSymptom Burdenchronic pelvic painendometriosisflarespain

Identifiers

PMID41826061
PMCPMC13418943

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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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.