An Overview of Treatments for Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a chronic disease affecting up to 10% of women in the general population and up to 40% in subfertile women. The most common symptom is pain, which can recur even after treatment. Fertility problems are common among women of reproductive age with this disease. There is no cure. The main goal of treatment is to relieve pain and improve fertility. The primary aim of this overview was to summarize data on treatments associated with improved outcomes in women with endometriosis. Data were analyzed in studies published from 1979 to 2012 from 140 randomized clinical trials (included in 18 Cochrane systematic reviews). Primary treatment outcomes evaluated were self-reported pain relief for dysmenorrhea and live birth rate. Secondary outcomes examined included clinical improvement or resolution of endometriosis- related pain, recurrence of pain, clinical pregnancy, ongoing pregnancy, miscarriage, and adverse events. The patient population comprised 13,599 women of reproductive age seen at gynecology and fertility clinics worldwide. Pain relief, improved fertility, and adverse reactions were compared for treatment versus placebo or no treatment and one treatment versus another treatment. The quality of evidence for treatment outcomes in all studies ranged from very low to moderate. Pain Relief: The levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device (LNG-IUD) system reduced the number of painful symptoms compared with usual care. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs (GnRHa)...
Source: Obstetrical and Gynecological Survey - Category: OBGYN Tags: Gynecology: Office Gynecology Source Type: research