( 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 .
Low-dose oral contraceptive pill for dysmenorrhea associated with endometriosis: a placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized trial.
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy of a low-dose oral contraceptive pill ( OCP ) for patients with dysmenorrhea associated with endometriosis . DESIGN A double-blind , r and omized , placebo-controlled trial . SETTING S Clinical trial sites in Japan . PATIENT(S ) One hundred patients with dysmenorrhea associated with endometriosis . Most enrolled patients had radiologic evidence of endometriosis rather than surgical diagnosis . INTERVENTION(S ) Patients were r and omly assigned to receive either monophasic OCP ( ethinylestradiol plus norethisterone ) or placebo . Participants used their usual pain medications as needed during the trial . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S ) After four cyclic treatments , we used a zero- to three-point verbal rating scale and a visual analogue scale to measure the severity of disability because of dysmenorrhea in daily life , and the patients ' use of analgesics . RESULT ( S ) Total dysmenorrhea scores assessed by the verbal rating scale were significantly decreased at the end of treatment in both groups . From the first cycle through the end of treatment , dysmenorrhea in the OCP group was significantly milder than in the placebo group . Nonmenstrual pelvic pain was present at baseline in 24.5 % ( 12 of 49 ) of the OCP group and 34.0 % ( 16 of 47 ) of the placebo group . The volume of endometrioma ( larger than 3 cm in diameter ) was significantly decreased in the OCP group , but not in the placebo group . No serious adverse events related to using OCPs occurred . CONCLUSION ( S ) The present study clearly demonstrated for the first time that OCPs could be used to effectively and safely treat pain associated with endometriosis
( 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 .