Long-term efficacy and safety of levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system as a maintenance treatment for endometriosis

This study evaluated the efficacy and feasibility of long-term use of levonorgestrel releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) in endometriosis patients after using LNG-IUS for>5 years as their postoperative maintenance therapy. Data were obtained retrospectively from patients who maintained medical therapy for>5 years after surgical treatment of endometriosis from January 2008 to April 2015. Patients were divided into study group and control group according to the type of medication; the study group consisted of patients who received LNG-IUS as maintenance therapy, and patients in the control group received combined oral contraceptives (ethinyl estradiol 20 μg and drospirenone 3 mg) or dienogest 2 mg. A total of 263 patients (94 patients in the study group, 169 in the control group) were included in the study. 91.5% (86/94) of the patients in the study group maintained the treatment for>5 years, whereas only 21.9% (37/169) of patients in the control group maintained the treatment for>5 years. LNG-IUS significantly decreased the pain score for non-cyclic pelvic/back pain (from 4.0 ± 1.6 to 0.6 ± 1.3, P 
Source: Medicine - Category: Internal Medicine Tags: Research Article: Observational Study Source Type: research