( 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 .
Progestins for symptomatic endometriosis: a critical analysis of the evidence.
OBJECTIVE To obtain estimates of the effects of progestin treatment for pelvic pain associated with endometriosis . DATA IDENTIFICATION Information from studies published in the English- language literature between 1966 and 1996 was pooled . Articles were identified through h and and computerized search es using MEDLINE . STUDY SELECTION A total of 27 trials that were published in peer- review ed journals were identified , and 13 of these were excluded from the analysis because of method ologic limitations . Nine of the remaining 14 studies were noncomparative ( 8 prospect i ve and 1 retrospective ) , 1 was quasi-r and omized , and 4 were true r and omized controlled trials . DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS The sample size was generally limited ; the mean number of patients included was 26 in the noncomparative trials and 29 in the r and omized controlled trials . The mean duration of treatment was 6 months . A total of 355 women had pain at entry . Considering all noncomparative studies , the pooled frequency of nonresponders at the end of treatment was 9 % ( 18/203 ; 95 % confidence interval [ CI ] , 5.3 % to 13.6 % ) . The common odds ratio from the four r and omized controlled trials comparing progestins with danazol or a GnRH agonist was 1.1 ( 95 % CI , 0.4 to 3.1 ) , suggesting equivalence in treatment effect . In the only double-blind , placebo-controlled trial , the frequency of nonresponders was not significantly different in the two arms . Only four studies assessed pain after drug withdrawal . The pooled frequency of pelvic pain at the end of follow-up was 50 % ( 35/70 ; 95 % CI , 37.8 % to 62.2 % ) . The overall crude conception rate after therapy among women who desired pregnancy was 44 % ( 86/194 ; 95 % CI , 37.2 % to 51.6 % ) . Side effects of limited clinical relevance were observed frequently . CONCLUSION ( S ) The available data suggest that the efficacy of progestins for temporary relief of  endometriosis-associated pelvic pain  is good and comparable to that of other , less safe treatments
( 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 .