An alternative to hysterectomy? GnRH analogue combined with hormone replacement therapy

Abstract

Objective: To assess whether GnRH analogues are effective in relieving pelvic pain and congestion and whether menopausal symptoms caused by GnRH analogues can be minimised by supplementation with low dose continuous combined hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

Design: Open prospective study.

Setting: Tertiary referral clinic at a teaching hospital.

Patients: Twenty-one women with chronic pelvic pain.

Intervention: Four months' therapy with goserelin 3.6 mg/month combined with continuous oestradiol valerate 1 mg daily and medroxyprogesterone acetate 5 mg daily.

Main outcome measures: Visual analogue scale for pain, menopausal symptoms, bleeding patterns, uterine area, endometrial status, oestradiol concentrations and venogram scores.

Results: Amenorrhoea was maintained in all but two women. Endometrial atrophy was maintained despite HRT supplementation. Two women had moderate menopausal symptoms but none had severe symptoms. Significant reduction of uterine cross sectional area was maintained throughout the study. There was no significant relief of pain.

Conclusions: HRT supplementation of GnRH analogues abolishes menopausal symptoms and thus may improve patient acceptability. Potentially beneficial effects such as endometrial atrophy, reduction of uterine volume and amenorrhoea were not negated by HRT. This combination is not effective in the treatment of chronic pelvic pain and congestion.