title: Gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist for chronic anovulatory uterine bleeding and severe anemia.
abstract: Twenty-three women with chronic heavy anovulatory uterine bleeding and severe iron-deficiency anemia received six months' treatment with goserelin, a gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist, administered as a monthly subcutaneous depot. After two months of treatment, all patients were amenorrheic and subsequent spotting was reported on only nine occasions. Laboratory results showed the following values: mean hemoglobin before treatment, 7.9 g/dL-13.8 g/dL at six months (+75%); mean hematocrit, 26.3%-41.6% (+58); mean serum iron, 19.8 micrograms/dL-63.3 micrograms/dL (+134%) and mean serum ferritin, 6.2 ng/mL-35.3 ng/mL (+469%). The endometrial hyperplasia observed in 11 subjects showed regression at follow-up suction biopsy. Gonadotropin releasing hormone agonists administered in a depot formulation for a few months in highly selected patients with severe anemia associated with heavy anovulatory uterine bleeding are practical, safe and effective, may avoid blood transfusions and could be used as a first line of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology L. Mangiagalli, University of Milano School of Medicine, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vercellini
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fedele
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maggi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vendola
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bocciolone
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Colombo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000747:Anemia, Hypochromic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D000858:Anovulation / Q000150:complications*; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D005260:Female; D017273:Goserelin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008595:Menorrhagia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D017273:Goserelin