[Effectiveness and tolerance of a gonadotropin releasing hormone (goserelin) in treatment of symptomatic endometriosis]

Endometriosis is one of the most common benign gynecological diseases, affecting an estimated 10-15% of all premenopausal women. In this open multicentric prospective study, we investigated the effectiveness and tolerance of a gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (goserelin) for the treatment of symptomatic endometriosis. One hundred and thirteen patients were included in the study. During the treatment, we documented a relevant reduction in the rAFS score and in the additive diameter of the implants. In addition, we noted a reduction in pelvic pain and an improvement of symptoms on pelvic examination. These effects were also reported during the follow up visits (24 weeks). Only 12 patients had intolerable side effects (hot flushes, sweating during the night, vaginal dryness, depression), which could be managed with transdermal 17 beta estradiol, without reducing therapeutic effectiveness. In conclusion, gonadotropin releasing hormone analogs proved to be an excellent treatment for symptomatic endometriosis and are generally well tolerated.