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Review
. 2024 Jul 24;16(7):e65257.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.65257. eCollection 2024 Jul.

Comparing Surgical, Acupuncture, and Exercise Interventions for Improving the Quality of Life in Women With Endometriosis: A Systematic Review

Sumayya Afreen  1   2 , Arvin Perthiani  3   4 , Elizabeth Sangster  5   6 , Nidhi Lanka  7 , Prakash Acharya  8 , Shikha Virani  9   10 , Iana Malasevskaia  11
Affiliations
Review

Comparing Surgical, Acupuncture, and Exercise Interventions for Improving the Quality of Life in Women With Endometriosis: A Systematic Review

Sumayya Afreen et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory condition that significantly impacts the quality of life (QoL) of affected women. This systematic review aimed to compare the effects of surgical interventions, acupuncture, and exercise programs on the QoL in women with endometriosis. A comprehensive search was conducted in databases such as PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Google Scholar, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (WHO ICTRP). Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies evaluating the impact of these interventions on the QoL were included. The review identified 10 studies (six RCTs and four observational studies) involving a total of 493 participants. Surgical interventions, particularly the laparoscopic excision of endometriotic lesions, demonstrated substantial reductions in pain and improvements in the QoL. Acupuncture effectively alleviated pain and enhanced overall well-being. Exercise programs improved the QoL, physical function, and pain reduction. The findings suggest that surgical-, acupuncture-, and exercise-based approaches can significantly improve the QoL for women with endometriosis. However, more personalized treatment approaches and further research are needed to understand the long-term benefits, optimal protocols, and underlying mechanisms of these interventions.

Keywords: acupuncture; endometriosis; exercise; quality of life; surgical interventions; systematic review.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. PRISMA flow diagram
PRISMA: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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