Do Endometriosis & Gastrointestinal Disorders Share Genetic Link?

Endometriosis is a severe condition affecting 1 in 7 women caused by tissue that resembles the uterus lining growing outside the uterus.

Professor Montgomery and Dr. Mortlock worked with Dr. Fei Yang from IMB and colleagues at UQ’s School of Public Health on genetic studies.

Shared Genetics Between Endometriosis & Gastrointestinal Diseases

“This genetic finding supports the clinical observation of an increased incidence of gastrointestinal disorders in women with endometriosis,” Professor Montgomery said.

“We hope that this study will raise more awareness about the overlap of these conditions.”

“Sufferers can find it difficult to distinguish the source of their pain leading to confusion or misdiagnosis and years of delay in treatment during which time the endometriosis can progress to more severe disease,” Professor Montgomery said.

Endometriosis should be considered as a possible cause if a woman presents to her GP with abdominal pain and gastrointestinal symptoms.

“As our knowledge of risk factors for endometriosis increases, we hope to move closer to understanding how the disease develops and improve treatments and diagnosis,” he said.

Reference :

1. Evidence of shared genetic factors in the aetiology of gastrointestinal disorders and endometriosis and clinical implications for disease management – (https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.20.22281201v1)

Source: Eurekalert