( S ) Few studies of medical therapies for endometriosis report outcomes that are relevant to patients , and many women gain only limited or intermittent benefit from treatment
OBJECTIVE To assess patient response rates to medical therapies used to treat endometriosis-associated pain .
Efficacy of vaginal danazol treatment in women with recurrent deeply infiltrating endometriosis.
OBJECTIVE To describe a safe long-term medical treatment for deeply infiltrating endometriosis , a critical condition characterized by multiple painful symptoms and a high recurrence rate after surgical treatment . DESIGN Prospect i ve study . SETTING University of Siena . PATIENT(S ) Twenty-one women with deeply infiltrating endometriosis . INTERVENTION(S ) In a nonr and omized prospect i ve study a low dose of vaginal danazol ( 200 mg/d ) was self-administered for 12 months . After a previous laparoscopic surgery , these patients had reported recurrent severe dyspareunia , dysmenorrhea , and pelvic pain ( in five cases also painful defecation ) . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S ) Before and every 3 months during the treatment a visual analogue pain scale was used . Transvaginal and transrectal ultrasound examinations were performed before and after 6 and 12 months of treatment . Adverse effects were registered , and serum concentration of cholesterol , triglycerides , aspartate aminotransferase , alanine aminotransferase , glycemia , protein S , protein C , antithrombin III , and homocysteine was evaluated before and after 12 months . RESULT ( S ) Dysmenorrhea , dyspareunia , and pelvic pain significantly decreased within 3 months and disappeared after 6 months of treatment , with a persistent effect during the 12 months of treatment . A relief of painful defecation was also shown . Ultrasound examination showed a reduction of the nodularity in the rectovaginal septum within 6 months . The medical treatment did not affect metabolic or thrombophilic parameters ; few local vaginal adverse effects were reported . CONCLUSION ( S ) Vaginal danazol result ed in effective medical treatment for the various painful symptoms in women with recurrent deeply infiltrating endometriosis , and because of the lack of significant adverse effects it may be proposed as an alternative to repeated surgery
( S ) Few studies of medical therapies for endometriosis report outcomes that are relevant to patients , and many women gain only limited or intermittent benefit from treatment
OBJECTIVE To assess patient response rates to medical therapies used to treat endometriosis-associated pain .