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Aromatase inhibition for refractory endometriosis-related chronic pelvic pain
Fertility and Sterility, 08/29/2011
Clinical Article
Abushahin F et al. – Letrozole plus a gonadotropin suppressor substantially improved pain symptoms in patients with endometriosis refractory to conventional therapies; however, pain recurred after treatment was completed.
Methods- Retrospective analysis
- Sixteen patients with endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain who previously failed conventional medical and/or surgical therapy were enrolled in the study.
- The interventions was treatment with the aromatase inhibitor letrozole (2.5 mg/d) plus a gonadotropin suppressor (norethindrone acetate, 2.5 mg/d, or a combination oral contraceptive [OC]) for an average of 6 months.
- Pain scores were reported at each visit using a visual analogue scale from 0 to 10 (0: no pain, 10: maximum pain).
- Sixteen patients were treated with an aromatase inhibitor for 180 ± 31days.
- The median pain score at the start of therapy was 7, and at the end of therapy it was 1.5.
- In the nine patients who were evaluated after discontinuing therapy, pain scores returned to pretreatment levels.
- The authors did not find any correlation between the length of treatment and the overall improvement in pain score.
