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Comment on “Potentized estrogen in homeopathic treatment of endometriosis-associated pelvic pain: A 24-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study”
To compare efficacy of the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS; Mirena) with depot GnRH analogue (GnRH-a; gosareline acetate; Zoladex) on endometriosis-related chronic pelvic pain (CPP) in patients with severe endometriosis during 12 months.
Prospective, randomized, controlled study.
The reproductive endocrinology unit of a tertiary, research and education hospital.
Forty women with severe endometriosis (revised The American Fertility Society [AFS] classification >40) and endometriosis-related CPP and control groups were enrolled in the study.
The patients were treated with either LNG-IUS (n = 20) or GnRH-a (n = 20). The GnRH-a dose was repeated every 4 weeks for 24 weeks.
Scores of CPP were evaluated using a visual analogue scale (VAS) and total endometriosis severity profile (TESP).
The TESP score decreased in the LNG-IUS group at first, third, and sixth month follow-up visits, whereas at the 12th month follow-up visit, the TESP scores were increased to values similar to pretreatment values. Although the VAS score had no significant alteration during the follow-up period in the LNG-IUS group, the GnRH-a group showed a significant decrease in the VAS score and TESP score at the end of 1 year. The LNG-IUS treatment showed a lower patient satisfaction.
Both treatment modalities showed comparable effectiveness in the treatment of CPP-related endometriosis.
Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of potentized estrogen compared to placebo in homeopathic treatment of endometriosis-associated pelvic pain (EAPP).
Study design: The present was a 24-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that included 50 women aged 18-45 years old with diagnosis of deeply infiltrating endometriosis based on magnetic resonance imaging or transvaginal ultrasound after bowel preparation, and score ≥ 5 on a visual analogue scale (VAS: range 0 to 10) for endometriosis-associated pelvic pain. Potentized estrogen (12cH, 18cH and 24cH) or placebo was administered twice daily per oral route. The primary outcome measure was change in the severity of EAPP global and partial scores (VAS) from baseline to week 24, determined as the difference in the mean score of five modalities of chronic pelvic pain (dysmenorrhea, deep dyspareunia, non-cyclic pelvic pain, cyclic bowel pain and/or cyclic urinary pain). The secondary outcome measures were mean score difference for quality of life assessed with SF-36 Health Survey Questionnaire, depression symptoms on Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and anxiety symptoms on Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI).
Results: The EAPP global score (VAS: range 0 to 50) decreased by 12.82 (P < 0.001) in the group treated with potentized estrogen from baseline to week 24. Group that used potentized estrogen also exhibited partial score (VAS: range 0 to 10) reduction in three EAPP modalities: dysmenorrhea (3.28; P < 0.001), non-cyclic pelvic pain (2.71; P = 0.009), and cyclic bowel pain (3.40; P < 0.001). Placebo group did not show any significant changes in EAPP global or partial scores. In addition, the potentized estrogen group showed significant improvement in three of eight SF-36 domains (bodily pain, vitality and mental health) and depression symptoms (BDI). Placebo group showed no significant improvement in this regard. These results demonstrate superiority of potentized estrogen over placebo. Few adverse events were associated with potentized estrogen.
Conclusions: Potentized estrogen (12cH, 18cH and 24cH) at a dose of 3 drops twice daily for 24 weeks was significantly more effective than placebo for reducing endometriosis-associated pelvic pain.
Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02427386.