This study was conducted to assess the efficacy of Nafarelin, a substitute decapeptide and gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist, in the treatment of endometriosis and to compare the effects of Nafarelin with those of Danazol, a substitute steroid hormone used in established medical therapy for endometriosis at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Korea University Hospital.
Of the 54 women who completed the double blind, double dummy study, 30 were treated with Nafarelin and 24 with Danazol. Nafarelin study group patients so received Nafarelin 200 micrograms twice daily and placebo capsules identical to Danazol, three times daily. Danazol study group patients received Danazol capsules 600mg daily and a placebo nasal spray identical to Nafarelin, twice daily.
The following results were obtained.
1. Nafarelin and Danazol showed similar, improvements based on the pre-treatment and post-treatment American Fertility Society (AFS) endometriosis scores and symptoms severity scores.
2. There was no change in LDL/HDL ratio for Nafarelin treated women. but a significant increase was seen in the group treated with Danazol.
3. Estradiol suppression with Nafarelin was more profound than that with Danazol during 6 months treatment.
4. Each drug showed the similar spectrum of adverse effects although Nafarelin-treated group showed more severe hot flushes and Danazol-treated group showed more severe androgenic or metabolic effects. And there was none of patients interrupted during treatment due to adverse effects in Nafarelin-treated group´ but there were 4 patients interrupted in Danazoltreated group.
The results suggest that gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist, Nafarelin is a welcome and convenient addition to the available medical treatment regimens for women suffering from endometriosis and seems to be a good alternative to Danazol.
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