Publications

PSYCHOSOCIAL PREDICTORS OF DYSMENORRHEA STABILITY AND CHANGE: A TWO-YEAR LONGITUDINAL STUDY

Hagy, H. A., Bohnert, A. M., Silton, R. L., Hellman, K. M., & Tu, F. F. (2025). Psychosocial Predictors of Dysmenorrhea Stability and Change: A Two-Year Longitudinal Study. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada, 48(1), 103174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jogc.2025.103174

MULTIMODAL HYPERSENSITIVITY AND SOMATIC SYMPTOMS PREDICT ADOLESCENT POSTMENARCHAL WIDESPREAD PAIN

Osborne, N. R., Hellman, K. M., Burda, E. M., Darnell, S. E., Singh, L., Schrepf, A. D., Walker, L. S., & Tu, F. F. (2025). Multimodal hypersensitivity and somatic symptoms predict adolescent postmenarchal widespread pain. Pain, 166(10), e322–e335. https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003597

INFLAMMATORY MECHANISMS OF DYSMENORRHEA: NOVEL INSIGHTS FROM MENSTRUAL EFFLUENT IN AN ADOLESCENT COHORT

Kyathanahalli, C. N., Tu, F. F., & Hellman, K. M. (2025). Inflammatory Mechanisms of Dysmenorrhea: Novel insights from menstrual effluent in an adolescent cohort. BJOG an International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 132(11), 1626–1634. https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.18275

SEEKING THE ROOT CAUSES OF MENSTRUAL PAIN: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF BIOMARKERS IN MENSTRAUL EFFLUENT

Kyathanahalli, C. N., Tu, F. F., Ashenafi, G., Schroer, M. S., & Hellman, K. M. (2025). Seeking the root causes of menstrual pain: A systematic review of biomarkers in menstrual effluent. Molecular Pain, 21, 17448069251360092. https://doi.org/10.1177/17448069251360092

LATENT ANALYSIS OF SLEEP, PAIN, AFFECT, COGNITION, AND ENERGY PROFILES BEFORE MENARCEH IDENTIFIES TWO CLASSES

Smith, E. M., Burns, M. T., Bohnert, A. M., Tu, F. F., & Hellman, K. M. (2025). Latent analysis of sleep, pain, affect, cognition, and energy profiles before Menarche identifies two classes. Journal of Pain, 29, 105179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2025.105179

BRAIN OSCILLATROY CHANGES ACROSS MENARCHE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO WIDESPREAD PAIN

Osborne, N., Tu, F., Darnell, S., Walker, L., & Hellman, K. (2025). Brain Oscillatory Changes Across Menarche and its Relationship to Widespread Pain. Journal of Pain, 29, 105138. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2025.105138

MENSTRUAL PAIN, PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS AND PAIN INTERFERENCE IN ADOLESCENTS EARLY POST-MENARCHE

Tham, S. W., Palermo, T., Adornetti, J., Hellman, K., Tu, F., & Bohnert, A. (2025). Menstrual pain, Psychological factors and pain interference in adolescents early Post-Menarche. Journal of Pain, 29, 104806. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2025.104806

VALIDATION OF A NON-INVASIVE METHOD TO MONITORING OF UTERINE HYPOXEMIA TO UNDERSTAND PAIN IN MECHANISMS IN DYSMENORRHEA

Kumari, P., Kahl, T., Prasad, P., & Hellman, K. (2025). Validation of a Non-Invasive Method to Monitoring of Uterine Hypoxemia to understand pain in mechanisms in dysmenorrhea. Journal of Pain, 29, 104805. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2025.104805

DYSMENORRHEA AND CHRONIC PAIN RISK: EVIDENCE FROM A LARGE-SCALE RETROSPECTIVE ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORD DATABASE

Sheikh, M., Kyathanahalli, C., Li, R., Tu, F., & Hellman, K. (2025). Dysmenorrhea and Chronic Pain risk: Evidence from a Large-Scale Retrospective Electronic Medical Record Database. Journal of Pain, 29, 104800. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2025.104800

ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN MENSTRUAL PAIN AND SEXUAL FUNCTION: THE ROLE OF VISERAL HYPERSENSITIVITY ON DEVELOPING SEXUAL PAIN

Reina, E. M., Hellman, K. M., Kmiecik, M. J., Terkildsen, M. F., & Tu, F. F. (2024). Associations between menstrual pain and sexual function: the role of visceral hypersensitivity on developing sexual pain. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 22(1), 98–106. https://doi.org/10.1093/jsxmed/qdae149

HAL, HOW MANY TYPES OF PELVIC PAIN ARE THERE?

Hellman, K. M., & Tu, F. F. (2024). Hal, how many types of pelvic pain are there? Pain, 165(9), 1897–1898. https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003219

MULTIPARAMETRIC QUANTITATIVE MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING OF UTERINE FIBROIDS FOR PREDICTION OF GROWTH RATE — A PILOT STUDY

Medved, M., Harmath, C. B., Siblini, H., Giurcanu, M., Kulkarni, K., Hellman, K. M., & Madueke-Laveaux, O. S. (2024). Multiparametric quantitative magnetic resonance imaging of uterine fibroids for prediction of growth rate—a pilot study. Quantitative Imaging in Medicine and Surgery, 14(7), 4362–4375. https://doi.org/10.21037/qims-23-1663

0188 IMPACT OF THE MENARCHEAL TRANSITION ON SLEEP IN BIOLOGICAL FEMALES

Adornetti, J., Hagy, H., Crowley, S., Kmiecik, M., Tham, S. W., Hellman, K., Tu, F., & Bohnert, A. (2024). 0188 Impact of the menarcheal transition on sleep in biological females. SLEEP, 47(Supplement_1), A80–A81. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsae067.0188

A MULTIDIMENTIONAL APPRAISAL OF EARLY MENSTRUAL PAIN EXPERIENCE

Tu, F. F., Hellman, K. M., Darnell, S. E., Harber, K. A., Bohnert, A. M., Singh, L., & Walker, L. S. (2024). A multidimensional appraisal of early menstrual pain experience. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 230(5), 550.e1-550.e10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2024.01.017

ULTRASOUND AND MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING-BASED INVESTIGATION OF THE ROLE OF PERFUSION AND OXYGEN AVAILABILITY IN MENTRUAL PAIN

Cockrum, R. H., Tu, F. F., Kierzkowska, O., Leloudas, N., Pottumarthi, P. V., & Hellman, K. M. (2024). Ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging–based investigation of the role of perfusion and oxygen availability in menstrual pain. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 230(5), 553.e1-553.e14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2024.01.018

MULTIMODAL HYPERSENSITIVITY PREDICTS THE DEVELOPMENT OF WIDESPREAD BODY PAIN IN ADOLESCENTS

Burda, E., Osborne, N. R., Darnell, S. E., Schrepf, A., Walker, L., Hellman, K., & Tu, F. (2024). Multimodal hypersensitivity predicts the development of widespread body pain in adolescents. Journal of Pain, 25(4), 56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2024.01.258

Neurobiology and long-term impact of bladder-filling pain in humans: a Multidis

Schrepf, A. D., Mawla, I., Naliboff, B. D., Gallop, B., Moldwin, R. M., Tu, F., Gupta, P., Harte, S., Krieger, J. N., Yang, C., Bradley, C., Rodriguez, L., Williams, D., Magnotta, V., Ichesco, E., Harris, R. E., Clemens, Q., Mullins, C., & Kutch, J. J. (2023). Neurobiology and long-term impact of bladder-filling pain in humans: a Multidisciplinary Approach to the Study of Chronic Pelvic Pain (MAPP) research network study. Pain, 164(10), 2343–2351. https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002944

MULTIMODAL HYPERSENSITIVITY DERIVED FROM QUANTITATIVE SENSORY TESTING PREDICTS PELVIC PAIN OUTCOME: AN OBSERVATIONAL COHORT STDUY

Kmiecik, M. J., Tu, F. F., Clauw, D. J., & Hellman, K. M. (2023b). Multimodal hypersensitivity derived from quantitative sensory testing predicts pelvic pain outcome: an observational cohort study. Pain, 164(9), 2070–2083. https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002909

BLADDER PAIN SENSITIVITY IS A POTENTIAL RISK FACTOR FOR IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME

Shlobin, A. E., Tu, F. F., Sain, C. R., Kmiecik, M. J., Kantarovich, D., Singh, L., Wang, C. E., & Hellman, K. M. (2023). Bladder pain sensitivity is a potential risk factor for irritable bowel syndrome. Digestive Diseases and Sciences, 68(7), 3092–3102. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-023-07868-7

FEASIBILITY AND RELIABILITY OF THRID TRIMESTER FUNCTIONAL MRI FOR EVALUATING R2* RELAXATION RATES: PILOT STUDY

MacGregor, C., Hellman, K., Choi, A., Swope, C., Prasad, P., & Plunkett, B. (2023). Feasibility and reliability of third trimester functional MRI for evaluating R2* relaxation rates: pilot study. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 228(1), S281–S282. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2022.11.501

GENERALIZED SENSORY SENSITIVITY IS ASSOCIATED WITH COMORBID PAIN SYMPTOMS: A REPLICATION STUDY IN WOMEN WITH DYSMENORRHEA

Schrepf, A., Hellman, K. M., Bohnert, A. M., Williams, D. A., & Tu, F. F. (2022). Generalized sensory sensitivity is associated with comorbid pain symptoms: a replication study in women with dysmenorrhea. Pain, 164(1), 142–148. https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002676

MENSTRUAL CYCLE VARIATION IN MRI-BASED QUANTIFICATION OF INTRALUMINAL GAS IN WOMEN WITH AND WITHOUT DYSMENORRHEA

Oh, H., Ehrenpreis, E. D., Tu, F. F., Dillane, K. E., Garrison, E. F., Leloudas, N., Prasad, P. V., & Hellman, K. M. (2022). Menstrual cycle variation in MRI-Based quantification of intraluminal gas in women with and without dysmenorrhea. Frontiers in Pain Research, 3, 720141. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpain.2022.720141

MULTIMODAL HYPERSENSITIVITY DERIVED FROM QUANTITATIVE SENSORY TESTING PREDICTS LONG-TERM PELVIC PAIN OUTCOME

Kmiecik, M. J., Tu, F. F., Clauw, D. J., & Hellman, K. M. (2022). Pain, 164(9), 2070–2083. https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002909

NONINVASIVE BLADDER TESTING OF ADOLESCENT FEMALES TO ASSESS VISCERAL HYPERSENSITIVITY

Tu, F. F., Hellman, K. M., Roth, G. E., Dillane, K. E., & Walker, L. S. (2022). Pain, 163(1), 100–109. https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002311

LAPAROSCOPIC MYOMECTOMY SIMULATION MODEL FOR POST-GRADUATE LEARNERS: MASTERING ENUCLEATION

Reina, E., Cockrum, R., Tu, F., & Senapati, S. (2022). Laparoscopic Myomectomy Simulation Model for Post-Graduate Learners: Mastering Enucleation. Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology, 29(11), S83–S84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmig.2022.09.271

HYSTERECTOMY FOR CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN

Cockrum, R., & Tu, F. (2022). Hysterectomy for chronic pelvic pain. Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics of North America, 49(2), 257–271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ogc.2022.02.008

NONINVASIVE BLADDER TESTING OF ADOLESCENT FEMALES TO ASSESS VISCERAL HYPERSENSITIVITY

Missmer, S. A., Tu, F. F., Agarwal, S. K., Chapron, C., Soliman, A. M., Chiuve, S., Eichner, S., Flores-Caldera, I., Horne, A. W., Kimball, A. B., Laufer, M. R., Leyland, N., Singh, S. S., Taylor, H. S., & As-Sanie, S. (2021). International journal of general medicine, 14, 9–25. https://doi.org/10.2147/IJGM.S261139

IMPACT OF ENDOMETRIOSIS ON LIFE-COURSE POTENTIAL: A NARRATIVE REVIEW

DEVELOPMENT OF A VISUAL, PATIENT-REPORTED TOOL FOR ASSESSING THE MULTI-DIMENSIONAL BURDEN OF ENDOMETRIOSIS

As-Sanie, S., Laufer, M. R., Missmer, S. A., Murji, A., Vincent, K., Eichner, S., Cross, S., Soliman, A. M., & Tu, F. (2021). Current medical research and opinion, 37(8), 1443–1449. https://doi.org/10.1080/03007995.2021.1929896

CORTICAL MECHANISMS OF VISUAL HYPERSENSITIVITY IN WOMEN AT RISK FOR CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN

Kmiecik, M. J., Tu, F. F., Silton, R. L., Dillane, K. E., Roth, G. E., Harte, S. E., & Hellman, K. M. (2021). medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences, 2020.12.03.20242032. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.12.03.20242032

DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF A REAL-TIME METHOD CHARACTERIZING SPONTANEOUS PAIN IN WOMEN WITH DYSMENORRHEA

Kantarovich, D., Dillane, K. E., Garrison, E. F., Oladosu, F. A., Schroer, M. S., Roth, G. E., Tu, F. F., & Hellman, K. M. (2021). The journal of obstetrics and gynaecology research, 47(4), 1472–1480. https://doi.org/10.1111/jog.14663

CIRCULATING SEX STEROIDS AND BLADDER PAIN SENSITIVITY IN DYSMENORRHEA

Hellman, K. M., Oladosu, F. A., Garrison, E. F., Roth, G. E., Dillane, K. E., & Tu, F. F. (2021). Molecular pain, 17, 17448069211035217. https://doi.org/10.1177/17448069211035217

MECHANISMS, DIAGNOSIS, PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF PERIOPERATIVE OPIOID-INDUCED HYPERALGESIA

Wilson, S. H., Hellman, K. M., James, D., Adler, A. C., & Chandrakantan, A. (2021). Pain management, 11(4), 405–417. https://doi.org/10.2217/pmt-2020-0105

RACIAL DISTRIBUTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF PELVIC ORGAN PROLAPSE IN A HOSPITAL-BASED SUBSPECIALTY CLINIC

Brito, K. S., Madueke-Laveaux, O. S., Glass, D., Hellman, K. M., Gao, G., & Iyer, S. (2021). Female pelvic medicine & reconstructive surgery, 27(3), 147–150. https://doi.org/10.1097/SPV.0000000000001016

WIKIPEDIA: A MEDICAL STUDENT EDUCATIONAL PROJECT TO EDIT WIKIPEDIA IN PREPARATION FOR PRACTICING EVIDENCE-BASED PAIN MEDICINE.

Kantarovich, D., Vollbrecht, H. B., Cruz, S. A., Castillo, H., Lee, C. S., Kushner, J., Leng, J. X., Morgan, V. K., & Hellman, K. M. (2020). Journal of medical education and curricular development, 7, 2382120520959691. https://doi.org/10.1177/2382120520959691

PARTIAL RESECTOSCOPIC ENDOMETRIAL ABLATION AS A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO GLOBAL ABLATION: A CASE SERIES AND DEMONSTRATION

Cockrum, R., Tu, F., & Senapati, S. (2020). Partial resectoscopic endometrial ablation as a Viable alternative to global ablation: A case series and demonstration. Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology, 27(7), S128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmig.2020.08.230

CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN

Taney, J., & Tu, F. (2020). Chronic Pelvic Pain. Wiley Online Library, 313–321. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119482598.ch35

DYSMENORRHEA SUBTYPES EXHIBIT DIFFERENTIAL QUANTITATIVE SENSORY ASSESSMENT PROFILES

Hellman KM, Roth GE, Dillane, KE, Garrison EF, Clauw D, Tu FF. PAIN (2020) 161(6):1227-1236. https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001826

LOW SERUM OXYTOCIN CONCENTRATIONS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH PAINFUL MENSTRUATION

Oladosu FA, Tu FF, Garfield LB, Garrison EF, Steiner ND, Roth GE, Hellman KM (2019). Reproductive Sciences (Thousand Oaks, Calif.), 27(2), 668–674. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43032-019-00071-y

CLINICAL PROFILE OF COMORBID DYSMENORRHEA AND BLADDER SENSITIVITY: A CROSS-SECTIONAL ANALYSIS

Tu FF, Datta A, Atashroo D, Senapati S, Roth G, Clauw D,Hellman KM (2019). American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 222(6), 594.e1–594.e11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2019.12.010

PERSISTENT AUTONOMIC DYSFUNCTION AND BLADDER SENSITIVITY IN PRIMARY DYSMENORRHEA

Oladosu FA, Hellman KM, Ham PJ, Kochlefl L, Datta A, Garrison EF, Steiner ND, Roth GE, Tu FF (2019). Scientific Reports 18;9(1):2194 http://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-38545-3

ABDOMINAL SKELETAL MUSCLE ACTIVITY PRECEDES SPONTANEOUS MENSTRUAL CRAMPING PAIN IN PRIMARY DYSMENORRHEA

Oladosu FA,Tu FF, Farhan S, Garrison EF, Steiner ND, Roth GE, Hellman KM (2018). American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. 219(1):91.e1-91.e7 http://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2018.04.050

IDENTIFICATION OF EXPERIMENTAL BLADDER SENSITIVITY AMONG DYSMENORRHEA SUFFERERS

Hellman KM, Datta A, Steiner ND, Kane J, Garrison EF, Clauw DJ, Tu FF (2018). American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. 219(1):84.e1-84.e8 http://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2018.04.030

SOMATIC SYMPTOMS IN WOMEN WITH DYSMENORRHEA AND NONCYCLIC PELVIC PAIN

Zuckerman RM, Silton RL, Tu FF, Eng JS, Hellman KM (2018). Archives of Women’s Mental Health http://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-018-0823-4

CINE MRI DURING SPONTANEOUS CRAMPS IN WOMEN WITH MENSTRUAL PAIN

Hellman KM, Kuhn CS, Tu FF, Dillane KE, Shlobin NA, Senapati S, Zhou X, Li W, Prasad PV (2018). American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. 218(5):506.e1-506.e8 http://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2018.01.035

NONSTEROIDAL ANTIINFLAMMATORY DRUG RESISTANCE IN DYSMENORRHEA: EPIDEMIOLOGY, CAUSES, AND TREATMENT.

Oladosu FA, Tu FF, Hellman KM (2017). American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 218(4):390-400 http://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2017.08.108

THE EFFECTS OF PLATELET-ACTIVATING FACTOR ON UTERINE CONTRACTILITY, PERFUSION, HYPOXIA, AND PAIN IN MICE

Hellman KM, Yu PY, Oladosu, FA Segel C, Han A, Prasad PV, Jilling T, Tu FF (2017). Reproductive Sciences 25(3):384-394 http://doi.org/10.1177/1933719117715122

NON-INVASIVE EXPERIMENTAL BLADDER PAIN ASSESSMENT IN PAINFUL BLADDER SYNDROME

Tu FF, Kane J, Hellman KM (2016). British Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 124(2):283-291 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.14433

MULTIMODAL NOCICEPTIVE MECHANISMS UNDERLYING CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN

Hellman KM, Patanwala IY, Pozolo KE, Tu FF (2015). American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 213(6):827.e1-9 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2015.08.038

THE ASSOCIATION OF DYSMENORRHEA WITH NONCYCLIC PELVIC PAIN ACCOUNTING FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS

Westling AM, Tu F, Griffith JW, Hellman KM (2013). American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 209(5): 422.e1-422.e10 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2013.08.020

NON-INVASIVE BLADDER SENSORY TEST SUPPORTS A ROLE FOR DYSMENORRHEA INCREASING BLADDER NOXIOUS MECHANOSENSITIVITY

Tu FF, Epstein AE, Pozolo KE, Sexton DL, Melnyk AI, Hellman KM (2013). Clinical Journal of Pain 29(10):883-90 http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/AJP.0b013e31827a71a3

GYNECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT OF NEUROPATHIC PAIN

Tu FF, Hellman KM, Backonja M (2011). American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 205(5):435-43 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3205239/