A retrospective study conducted by Marina Paula Andres and other investigators revealed a strong association between visual analogue scale (VAS) score ≥ 7 cm and diminished quality of life in endometriosis cases. The objective of this study was to assess whether VAS ≥ 7 cm is associated with a drastic reduction in quality of life among endometriosis sufferers.

The research comprised 1129 patients who had undergone surgical intervention for endometriosis. Acyclic pelvic pain, deep dyspareunia, dysmenorrhea, dyschezia, and dysuria were evaluated using VAS ranging from 0 to 10 cm. Quality of life six months before surgery was monitored using the short form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire.

Dysmenorrhea was the most commonly reported symptom, affecting 93.6% of cases, with an average VAS score of 7.6 cm. The majority of patients reported decreased quality of life, with domain scores ranging from 49.4 to 80.1. Patients experiencing severe pain (VAS score ≥ 7 cm) had notably lower mean SF-36 scores across all parameters compared to those with moderate to mild pain (VAS < 7 cm).

Hence, the commonly used VAS threshold of >7 cm to identify severe pain symptoms in endometriosis precisely reflects the adverse effect of the disease on women's quality of life, as measured by the SF-36 questionnaire.