Dietary pattern and risk of endometrioma in Korean women: a case-control study

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the dietary patterns of Korean women diagnosed with endometrioma or other benign ovarian cysts. METHODS: A total of 66 patients, comprising 39 patients who were surgically diagnosed with ovarian endometrioma and 27 control patients with other benign ovarian cysts, were included in this case-control study. Trained interviewers identified and interviewed the case patients and controls on the day before the laparoscopic ovarian surgery, using a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire developed by the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Korea. Statistical analysis was performed using the Wilcoxon sum-rank test for continuous variables and the χ(2) test or Fisher’s exact test for categorical variables. RESULTS: The calcium intake from daily food consumption was significantly lower in patients with endometrioma than in those with other benign ovarian cysts. The dietary intakes of vitamin D, iron, and zinc were also relatively lower in patients with endometrioma than in patients with other benign ovarian cysts, although they did not reach the statistical significance threshold. CONCLUSION: The risk of endometrioma is significantly associated with a lower dietary intake of calcium. Future studies including a larger number of patients on a nationwide scale are urgently required for further clarification.