Uterine ultrasonographic changes during endometriosis treatment: a comparison between levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine devices and a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist

What Was Tested

Researchers studied Leuprolide in the context of endometriosis in this randomized controlled trial publication.

The researchers compared the effects of levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine devices (LNG-IUD) and a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) on uterine volume, uterine arteries pulsatility index (PI) and endometrial thickness before and after six months of endometriosis treatment.

All 60 women were submitted to transvaginal 2-D ultrasound scans on the day that the treatment started and then six months later.

Who Took Part

The abstract describes 30 women taking part.

The age groups tagged for this paper are teenagers, young adults and adults, women only.

Sixty women aged 18-40 y were allocated randomly to one of two groups: LNG-IUDs were inserted in 30 women, and GnRHa monthly injections were performed on the other 30.

How the Study Was Run

The researchers set it up as a randomized study.

The women were allocated by chance, so the Leuprolide group and the comparison group should start out alike.

What Was Measured

Measurements of uterine arteries PI, uterine volume and endometrial thickness were performed at both evaluations.

Topics PubMed links to this paper include Endometriosis, Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone, Intrauterine Devices, Medicated, Leuprolide, Levonorgestrel, Pulsatile Flow and Ultrasonography.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized study of Leuprolide in 30 women in people with endometriosis.

With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.

The publication is from 2008 (Ultrasound in medicine & biology), a journal based in England.

More context: the Leuprolide compound page, Endometriosis research.