Taiwanese Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Volume 48, Issue 2 , Pages 133-137, June 2009

Use of a Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Agonist to Manage Perimenopausal Women With Symptomatic Uterine Myomas

  • Peng-Hui Wang

      Affiliations

    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
    • Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorrespondence to: Dr Peng-Hui Wang, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital and National Yang-Ming University, 201, Section 2, Shih-Pai Road, Taipei 112, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Wen-Ling Lee

      Affiliations

    • Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
    • Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Cheng Hsin Rehabilitation Center–Taipei, Taipei, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Ming-Huei Cheng

      Affiliations

    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
    • Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Ming-Shyen Yen

      Affiliations

    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Kuan-Chong Chao

      Affiliations

    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Hsiang-Tai Chao

      Affiliations

    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
    • Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan

Accepted 27 March 2008.

Article Outline

Summary 

Objective

To determine the acceptability and effectiveness of a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist for the treatment of perimenopausal women with symptomatic uterine myomas.

Materials and Methods

The participants included 43 women with symptomatic myomas who wished to retain their uteri. All the women were older than 45 years old, agreed to use the GnRH agonist for menopause induction, and were without any underlying malignancy. They were treated with six courses of GnRH agonist between 2004 and 2005. The definition of re-intervention included: (1) surgical intervention, such as hysterectomy, myomectomy or laparoscopic uterine vessel occlusion, or (2) modification of GnRH agonist use. Modification of GnRH agonist use included either failure to complete a 6-month GnRH agonist treatment course, or re-use of GnRH agonist with/without interruption of continuity. Failure was defined as women who underwent surgical intervention or failed to complete the 6-month GnRH agonist treatment. Evaluations were performed every 6 months, for up to 2 years.

Results

Re-intervention rates were 14.0% (n = 6), 23.3% (n = 10) and 32.6% (n = 14), and failure rates were 7.0% (n = 3), 11.6% (n = 5) and 16.3% (n = 7), at the end of the 6-, 12- and 24-month follow-up periods, respectively. Three patients failed to complete the 6-month GnRH agonist treatment, and four received surgical interventions.

Conclusion

More than 80% of women in this study benefited from the use of GnRH agonist to produce menopause, suggesting that this can be an alternative choice for managing perimenopausal women with symptomatic uterine myomas.

Key Words:  anemia , gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist , perimenopause , uterine myoma

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PII: S1028-4559(09)60273-4

doi:10.1016/S1028-4559(09)60273-4

Taiwanese Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Volume 48, Issue 2 , Pages 133-137, June 2009

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