Dolor pélvico crónico e infertilidad como factores diagnósticos de endometriosis

objective: to determine if the symptoms of chronic pelvic pain and infertility, are important in the early diagnostic of endometriosis. method: retrospective analysis of 100 patients with laparoscopic diagnostic of endometriosis, divided into 2 groups: group 1 with 40 patients with chronic pelvic pain and group 2 with 60 patients with pelvic pain and infertility, in the period between january 2002 and january 2005. setting: hospital coromoto, maracaibo, estado zulia, venezuela. results: mean age at first consultation was 26.5 and 34.6 years old for groups 1 and 2 respectively. there was a 74 % of deep dyspareunia in both groups. gastrointestinal symptoms were detected in 28 % of patients from group 1 and 38 % in group 2, in various degrees. the premenstrual syndrome and emotional distress, were present in 80 % of patients and the pattern vas moderate to severe. the stage of the disease assessed by laparoscopy, demonstrated that the chronic pelvic pain level was no related with the stage of the disease, but it was related to the anatomical localization, been more painful the uterosacral ligaments and de cul de sac. in patients from group 1 there was a higher frequency of stage iv (12 %), followed by grade ii (11 %). in patients from group 2 the more frequent degrees were ii (22 %) and i (18 %). in 50 % of patients histopathological study was not performed. conclusions: chronic pelvic pain is more frequent in young women with endometriosis, while infertility is more frequent in middle-aged patients. when age increase, there is a higher probability to find infertility and pelvic pain.