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Dietary Phytoestrogen Intake and The Risk of Endometriosis in Iranian Women: A Case-Control Study

Samaneh Youseflu, S. J. Sadatmahalleh, A. Mottaghi, A. Kazemnejad

International Journal of Fertility and Sterility, 2019

78 participants · 31 citations

Abstract

Background Endometriosis is an important gynecologic disease affecting reproductive-age women. Based on the effect of phytoestrogens on inflammatory, immunological and hormonal factors, limited studies have suggested that phytoestrogen consumption could probably modulate endometriosis risk. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between phytoestrogen intake and endometriosis risk. Materials and Methods In the present case-control study, 78 women with a laparoscopically confirmed endome- triosis and 78 normal pelvis women (as the control group), were recruited. Common dietary intake was recorded by a validated 147-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Type of phytoestrogen in each dietary item was analyzed by the database from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). A logistic regression model was used to determine the association between phytoestrogen intake and endometriosis risk. Results Higher intake of total phytoestrogen (P-trend=0.01), total isoflavones (P-trend=0.002) specially formononetin (P-trend=0.04) and glycitein (P-trend=0.04), total lignan (P-trend=0.01) specially secoisolariciresinol (P-trend=0.01) and lariciresinol (P-trend=0.02) and matairesinol (P-trend=0.003), and total coumestrol [third quartile odds ratios (OR): 0.38; 95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.15-0.96; P-trend=0.1] was related to reduced endometriosis risk. Among food groups, only isoflavin (OR: 0.48; 95% CI: 0.44-0.63), lignan (OR: 0.66; 95% CI:…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a case-control, done in people. Its evidence level is 4 of 5 (Low · observational). Observational designs can show an association but not prove cause. Reported size: 78 participants or records.

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