Ana Lara-Ramos, Manuel Arroyo-Morales, Carolina Fernández-Lao, Antonio Mundo-López, Francisco Artacho-Cordón, Noelia Galiano-Castillo, Maryna Mazheika, Irene Cantarero-Villanueva, Olga Ocón-Hernández, Francisco Álvarez-Salvago, [Álvarez-Salvago,F, Cantarero-Villanueva,I, Galiano-Castillo,N, Fernández-Lao,C, Arroyo-Morales,M, Artacho-Cordón,F] 'Cuídate' Support Unit for Oncology Patients (UAPO), Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), University of Granada, Granada, Spain. [Álvarez-Salvago,F, Arroyo-Morales,M] Department of Physiotherapy, University of Granada, E-Granada, Spain. [Lara-Ramos,A] Gynaecology and Obstetrics Unit, 'Virgen de las Nieves' University Hospital, Granada, Spain. [Cantarero-Villanueva,I, Ocón-Hernández,O, Artacho-Cordón,F] Biohealth Research Institute in Granada (ibs.GRANADA), Granada, Spain. [Mazheika,M] Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain, [Mundo-López,A] Centro de Psicología Clínica Alarcón (CPCA), Granada, Spain. [Ocón-Hernández,O] Gynaecology and Obstetrics Unit, 'San Cecilio' University Hospital, Granada, Spain. [Artacho-Cordón,F] Department of Radiology and Physical Medicine, University of Granada,Granada, Spain. [Artacho-Cordón,F] CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain., This research was funded by Health Institute Carlos III (ISCIII)-FEDER (grant number PI17/01743) and donations from particular women with endometriosis that believed in this project from the first time. It was also partly supported by the PAIDI group CTS-206 (Oncología Básica y Clínica) funds. This study takes place thanks to the additional funding from the University of Granada, Plan Propio de Investigación 2016, Excellence actions: Units of Excellence, and Unit of Excellence on Exercise and Health (UCEES), and by the Junta de Andalucía, Consejería de Conocimiento, Investigación y Universidades and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), ref. SOMM17/6107/UGR. more...
The authors are indebted with all participants, without whom this work would not have been possible. We are grateful to Ana Yara Postigo-Fuentes for her assistance with the English language. This paper is part of the PhD thesis developed by A. Lara-Ramos in the Official Doctoral Programme in Clinical Medicine and Public Health of the University of Granada., Aim: To explore endometriosis-related fatigue (ERF), health-related fitness, sleep quality, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in women with endometriosis in comparison with matched controls. Methods: Twenty-five affected women and twenty-five age and height-matched women without endometriosis were included. ERF was assessed through the Piper Fatigue Scale; health-related fitness was assessed through the Schöber, flamingo, and 6-min walking tests and dynamometry; and body composition was assessed through impedanciometry. Self-perceived physical fitness, sleep quality, and HRQoL were assessed through the International Fitness Scale, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and the 12-item Short Form Health Survey, respectively. Results: Affected women exhibited higher levels of ERF than controls, increased fat mass, and physical deconditioning (reduced back strength, lumbar flexibility, body balance, and functional capacity, p-values < 0.050). Moreover, cases also had poorer perceived physical fitness, sleep quality, and HRQoL (p-value < 0.050). Finally, we observed deteriorated health-related fitness, sleep quality, and HRQoL in those women with endometriosis with higher levels of ERF. Conclusions: This study constitutes the first evidence that women with endometriosis describe a generalized physical deconditioning, even more pronounced in affected women with higher levels of ERF. Further studies assessing the efficacy of rehabilitation interventions to face these physical impairments in women with endometriosis are warranted., Health Institute Carlos III (ISCIII)-FEDER PI17/01743, PAIDI group CTS-206, University of Granada, Plan Propio de Investigacion 2016, Excellence actions: Units of Excellence; Unit of Excellence on Exercise and Health (UCEES), Junta de Andalucia, Consejeria de Conocimiento, Investigacion y Universidades, European Union (EU) SOMM17/6107/UGR more...