A comparison of flurbiprofen, tranexamic acid, and a levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine contraceptive device in the treatment of idiopathic menorrhagia

Abstract

Treatment with flurbiprofen (100 mg twice a day for 5 days), tranexamic acid (1.5 gm three times a day for 3 days and 1 gm twice a day for another 2 days), and an intrauterine contraceptive device releasing 20 micrograms levonorgestrel per day was compared in women with idiopathic menorrhagia. The menstrual blood loss during two control periods in 15 women subsequently treated with flurbiprofen and tranexamic acid was 295 +/- 52 ml and 203 +/- 25.2 ml in the 16 women later fitted with a levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine contraceptive device. Menstrual blood loss was reduced by all three forms of treatment. The reduction in menstrual blood loss expressed as a percentage of the mean of two control cycles for each form of treatment was as follows: flurbiprofen, 20.7% +/- 9.9%; tranexamic acid, 44.4% +/- 8.3%; levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine contraceptive device after 3 months, 81.6% +/- 4.5%; levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine contraceptive device after 6 months, 88.0% +/- 3.1%; levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine contraceptive device after 12 months, 95.8% +/- 1.2%. The reduction in menstrual blood loss achieved by the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine contraceptive device was greater than that recorded with flurbiprofen (p less than 0.001) and tranexamic acid (p less than 0.01), and was greater for tranexamic acid when compared with flurbiprofen (p less than 0.05). The levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine contraceptive device was the only form of treatment to reduce mean menstrual blood loss below 80 ml per menstruation, the upper limit of normal menstrual blood loss.