Increased Autoimmune Disease Risk in Women with Endometriosis
A systematic review of 55 studies found that women with endometriosis are at a higher risk for autoimmune diseases. Specifically, the risks for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Sjögren's syndrome (SS), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were notably elevated, with odds ratios suggesting a significant association.
- Tags
- #MSResearch
- Most relevant to
- —
- Human efficacy
- Not established from this source
- Mechanism
- Other
- Evidence strength
- Moderate
- Outcome
- Not reported
Why it matters
Understanding the link between endometriosis and autoimmune diseases may help in monitoring and managing the health of women with endometriosis, as they may be at increased risk for these conditions.
What this does not prove
The overall quality of the evidence was low or very low, primarily due to a high risk of bias in the included studies.
Next milestone
No next milestone was established from the available source.
Study facts
- Study design
- Systematic review
- Participants / samples
- 55 · basis not reported
- Randomised
- No
- Controlled
- Not reported
- Primary endpoint met
- Not reported
- Relevant MS type
- Not reported
- Publication date
- 2026-10-20
- Evidence reviewed
- Abstract only
- Regulatory approval
- Not reported
- Research areas
- Not classified
- Biological target
- Not reported
- Pathway
- Not reported
- Population
- Not reported
- Size of effect
- Not reported
- Secondary endpoints
- Not reported
- MRI endpoints
- Not reported
- Biomarkers
- Not reported
- Safety
- Not reported
Original sources
- Primary evidenceBeyond the pelvis: redefining endometriosis as a systemic inflammatory disorder. A systematic review and meta-analysis. ↗DOI: 10.1016/j.autrev.2026.104206
Supporting passages (11)
study phaseREGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD420251258716.
study designPublication types: Journal Article; Review
subjectsEligible studies were observational in design (cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional) and reported quantitative data on the association between endometriosis and predefined comorbidities in women.
sample sizeThe final analysis included 55 studies that met the predefined inclusion criteria and were incorporated into the comprehensive analysis.
randomizedExclusion criteria included non-human studies, non-English publications, secondary literature types (e.g., reviews, case reports), and studies lacking sufficient data for effect size calculation.
peer reviewedJournal: Autoimmunity reviews
publication datePublication date: 2026-10-20
findingsMeta-analysis showed that women with endometriosis had a significantly higher risk of certain autoimmune diseases in cohort studies, including SLE (RR: 1.81, 95% CI: 1.50-2.18), SS (RR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.40-1.71), and RA (RR: 1.71, 95% CI: 1.40-2.09), as well as significantly higher odds in case-control and cross-sectional studies for SLE (OR: 3.93, 95% CI: 2.59-5.98), SS (OR: 3.13, 95% CI: 1.10-8.90), RA (OR: 2.27, 95% CI: 1.75-2.95), MS (OR: 2.30, 95% CI: 1.57-3.37), CLD (OR: 4.50, 95% CI: 1.94-10.42), and IBD (OR: 2.82, 95% CI: 0.58-13.61).
limitationsHowever, the overall quality of evidence was generally low or very low according to the GRADE approach, largely due to a high risk of bias in most of the included study designs and statistical analyses.
mechanismsThe associations with various comorbidities are underpinned by shared mechanisms of immune dysregulation and central sensitization.
peer reviewedPublication types: Journal Article; Review
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