Premium
Randomized Trial of 2 Hormonal and 2 Prostaglandin‐inhibiting Agents in Women with a Complaint of Menorrhagia
Author(s) -
Fraser Ian S.,
McCarron Gay
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.734
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1479-828X
pISSN - 0004-8666
DOI - 10.1111/j.1479-828x.1991.tb02769.x
Subject(s) - randomized controlled trial , medicine , complaint , hormone , prostaglandin analogue , prostaglandin , gynecology , political science , law
Summary: A series of 45 ovulatory women with a complaint of menorrhagia were randomized into 3 treatment groups, before receiving therapy with mefenamic acid in 2 cycles and 1 of 3 other agents in 2 cycles: naproxen (group 1; n = 14), a low dose monophasic combined oral contraceptive (group 2; n = 12) or low dose danazol (group 3; n = 12). Menstrual blood loss was measured in 2–4 control cycles and during therapy. Mefenamic acid reduced measured blood loss by 20%; 38%; and 39% in groups 1–3 respectively. Naproxen reduced blood loss by 12%; the oral contraceptive by 43%; and danazol by 49%. There was no statistically significant difference in blood loss reduction (mean of 2 cycles) between any of the treatments, although women on danazol experienced a dramatic and highly significant further reduction in blood loss after the first treatment cycle (p < 0.003). These were all effective therapies in a majority of women, but some ‘non‐responders’ were seen in each group. The ‘non‐responders’ had a significantly lower pretreatment blood loss than responders. Several women in group 1 showed anomalous responses to prostaglandin inhibitors with consistent and substantial exacerbation of menorrhagia during therapy. A number of reasonable therapies exist for the medical treatment of menorrhagia, but because none is suitable for everyone management needs to be individualized for each patient.