Heritability of endometriosis

• OBJECTIVE: To estimate the relative contribution of genetic influences and prevalence on endometriosis.DESIGN: Analysis of self-reported data from a nationwide population-based twin registry.SETTING: Not applicable.PATIENT(S): A total of 28,370 women, female monozygotic (MZ) or dizygotic (DZ) twins, who participated in either of two surveys (1998-2002 or 2005-2006).INTERVENTION(S): None.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Self-reported endometriosis, validated by medical records.RESULT(S): A history of endometriosis was reported by 1,228 female twins. The probandwise concordance was 0.21 for MZ and 0.10 for DZ twins. Higher within-pair (tetrachoric) correlation was observed among MZ (0.47) compared with DZ (0.20) twins. The best-fitting model revealed a contribution of 47% by additive genetic factors and the remaining 53% attributed to unique environmental effects.CONCLUSION(S): Our findings suggest both genetic and unique (nonshared) environmental influences on the complex etiology of endometriosis and support the hypothesis that genes have a strong influence on phenotypic manifestations of endometriosis.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Reproduktionsmedicin och gynekologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Concordance; endometriosis; heritability; twins

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)