Effect of COVID-19 Vaccine in Women with Adenomyosis and Endometriosis

Background: It has been reported that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines could provoke flu-like symptoms and changes in menstrual cycles in some women, probably as a result of the immune response caused by the vaccination itself. Altered local immunity and inflammatory processes are found...

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Main Authors: Anjeza Xholli, Maria Giulia Schiaffino, Ilaria Vacca, Filippo Molinari, Elena Cavalli, Umberto Scovazzi, Francesca Oppedisano, Marina Jakimovska, Ambrogio Pietro Londero, Angelo Cagnacci
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IMR Press 2023-12-01
Series:Clinical and Experimental Obstetrics & Gynecology
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Online Access:https://www.imrpress.com/journal/CEOG/50/12/10.31083/j.ceog5012265
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author Anjeza Xholli
Maria Giulia Schiaffino
Ilaria Vacca
Filippo Molinari
Elena Cavalli
Umberto Scovazzi
Francesca Oppedisano
Marina Jakimovska
Ambrogio Pietro Londero
Angelo Cagnacci
author_facet Anjeza Xholli
Maria Giulia Schiaffino
Ilaria Vacca
Filippo Molinari
Elena Cavalli
Umberto Scovazzi
Francesca Oppedisano
Marina Jakimovska
Ambrogio Pietro Londero
Angelo Cagnacci
author_sort Anjeza Xholli
collection DOAJ
description Background: It has been reported that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines could provoke flu-like symptoms and changes in menstrual cycles in some women, probably as a result of the immune response caused by the vaccination itself. Altered local immunity and inflammatory processes are found in women suffering from adenomyosis and endometriosis, this having a role in the typical symptomatic manifestations. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of side effects like abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) or pain following the administration of COVID-19 vaccines in women with adenomyosis or endometriosis. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed on 172 patients referring to our Chronic Pelvic Pain Center, who underwent COVID-19 vaccination. A hystorical cohort of sixty-three non-vaccinated women was used as control. We collected anamnestic data and each woman scored menstrual pain, chronic pelvic pain, and the occurrence of AUB before and after vaccination. Results: Among control women, no one showed AUB, and only 2 women experienced a slight worsening of menstrual pain. Side effects were observed in 29/172 (16.8%) of COVID-19 vaccinated women, independent of whether they were on hormone therapy. In comparison to asymptomatic, symptomatic women had a higher prevalence of adenomyosis (82.7% vs 63.6%), adenomyosis being present in 100% of the 6 women with intermenstrual bleeding, in 79% of the 19 women with heavy menstrual bleeding and in 81% of the 16 women with pain worsening. Nine out of 55 (16.3%) women with endometrioma experienced side effects. Among these, the 3 women that were not on hormone therapy experienced a huge increase in endometrioma volume from +208% to +806%. In one case emergency surgery was necessary for endometrioma rupture and hemoperitoneum. Conclusions: In our sample, adenomyosis appears strictly related to the manifestation of post-vaccine side effects. Hormone therapy seems to be insufficient to protect from post-vaccine symptoms, but the increase in endometrioma volume was observed only in cases without hormone therapy.
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spelling doaj-art-0faac62006014efc9b7aa74bc68502b12025-08-20T03:54:32ZengIMR PressClinical and Experimental Obstetrics & Gynecology0390-66632023-12-01501226510.31083/j.ceog5012265S0390-6663(23)02225-XEffect of COVID-19 Vaccine in Women with Adenomyosis and EndometriosisAnjeza Xholli0Maria Giulia Schiaffino1Ilaria Vacca2Filippo Molinari3Elena Cavalli4Umberto Scovazzi5Francesca Oppedisano6Marina Jakimovska7Ambrogio Pietro Londero8Angelo Cagnacci9Academic Unit of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genova, ItalyAcademic Unit of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genova, ItalyAcademic Unit of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genova, ItalyAcademic Unit of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genova, ItalyAcademic Unit of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genova, ItalyAcademic Unit of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genova, ItalyAcademic Unit of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genova, ItalyDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Medical Centre, 1000 Ljubljana, SloveniaDepartment of Neurology, Rehabilitation, Opthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Infant Health (DINOGMI), 16132 Genova, ItalyAcademic Unit of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genova, ItalyBackground: It has been reported that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines could provoke flu-like symptoms and changes in menstrual cycles in some women, probably as a result of the immune response caused by the vaccination itself. Altered local immunity and inflammatory processes are found in women suffering from adenomyosis and endometriosis, this having a role in the typical symptomatic manifestations. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of side effects like abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) or pain following the administration of COVID-19 vaccines in women with adenomyosis or endometriosis. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed on 172 patients referring to our Chronic Pelvic Pain Center, who underwent COVID-19 vaccination. A hystorical cohort of sixty-three non-vaccinated women was used as control. We collected anamnestic data and each woman scored menstrual pain, chronic pelvic pain, and the occurrence of AUB before and after vaccination. Results: Among control women, no one showed AUB, and only 2 women experienced a slight worsening of menstrual pain. Side effects were observed in 29/172 (16.8%) of COVID-19 vaccinated women, independent of whether they were on hormone therapy. In comparison to asymptomatic, symptomatic women had a higher prevalence of adenomyosis (82.7% vs 63.6%), adenomyosis being present in 100% of the 6 women with intermenstrual bleeding, in 79% of the 19 women with heavy menstrual bleeding and in 81% of the 16 women with pain worsening. Nine out of 55 (16.3%) women with endometrioma experienced side effects. Among these, the 3 women that were not on hormone therapy experienced a huge increase in endometrioma volume from +208% to +806%. In one case emergency surgery was necessary for endometrioma rupture and hemoperitoneum. Conclusions: In our sample, adenomyosis appears strictly related to the manifestation of post-vaccine side effects. Hormone therapy seems to be insufficient to protect from post-vaccine symptoms, but the increase in endometrioma volume was observed only in cases without hormone therapy.https://www.imrpress.com/journal/CEOG/50/12/10.31083/j.ceog5012265adenomyosiscovid-19dysmenorrheaendometriosisvaccine
spellingShingle Anjeza Xholli
Maria Giulia Schiaffino
Ilaria Vacca
Filippo Molinari
Elena Cavalli
Umberto Scovazzi
Francesca Oppedisano
Marina Jakimovska
Ambrogio Pietro Londero
Angelo Cagnacci
Effect of COVID-19 Vaccine in Women with Adenomyosis and Endometriosis
Clinical and Experimental Obstetrics & Gynecology
adenomyosis
covid-19
dysmenorrhea
endometriosis
vaccine
title Effect of COVID-19 Vaccine in Women with Adenomyosis and Endometriosis
title_full Effect of COVID-19 Vaccine in Women with Adenomyosis and Endometriosis
title_fullStr Effect of COVID-19 Vaccine in Women with Adenomyosis and Endometriosis
title_full_unstemmed Effect of COVID-19 Vaccine in Women with Adenomyosis and Endometriosis
title_short Effect of COVID-19 Vaccine in Women with Adenomyosis and Endometriosis
title_sort effect of covid 19 vaccine in women with adenomyosis and endometriosis
topic adenomyosis
covid-19
dysmenorrhea
endometriosis
vaccine
url https://www.imrpress.com/journal/CEOG/50/12/10.31083/j.ceog5012265
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