MedWire News: Continuous oral contraceptives (OCs) are equally as effective as leuprolide in the treatment of endometriosis-related pain and far cheaper, report US researchers.

David Guzick (University of Florida Health Science Center) and colleagues randomly assigned 40 women with endometriosis-related pelvic pain to 48 weeks of either leuprolide (n = 17; involving periodic injections plus a daily pill) or an OC (n = 23).

There were no significant differences between the groups at baseline in terms of clinical characteristics, Biberoglu and Behrman (B&B) pain scores, numerical rating scores (NRS), or Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores.

After commencement of treatment, B&B and NRS scores declined in both treatment arms and continued to do so until the end of the treatment period. The overall reduction was 9 points on the B&B score in both the OC and leuprolide groups, and reductions of 4 and 6 points on the NRS score, respectively.

However, the extent of pain reduction did not differ between treatment arms, say Guzick et al.

Although the team did not carry out a detailed cost-effectiveness evaluation, they conclude that "a 48-week treatment of OCs would save $7,552 [€5,354] per patient over 48 weeks."

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