title: Preliminary report on the treatment of endometriosis with low-dose mifepristone (RU 486).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We have previously shown that treatment with mifepristone, 50 to 100 mg daily, results in amenorrhea, anovulation, and symptomatic improvement in women with endometriosis. In this study we lowered the dose to 5 mg daily to determine whether clinical efficacy is altered without other adverse actions.
  
  
  METHODS
  After a baseline cycle, seven women with endometriosis were given mifepristone, 5 mg daily, for 6 months. Daily symptom inventories were recorded. Laparoscopy was performed during the sixth month of therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pelvic pain improved in six of seven patients. Cyclic bleeding ceased in all patients, but four of the seven patients complained of irregular bleeding. Surgical staging at the conclusion of the study (five of seven patients) did not detect a change in endometriosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mifepristone, 5 mg daily, resulted in symptomatic improvement, but did not stabilize the endometrium. From our experience with three doses of mifepristone, we would recommend a dose of 50 mg be used for continued investigations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Medicine, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, USA.
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Kettel
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Yen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D004717:Endometrium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006727:Hormone Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008598:Menstruation / Q000187:drug effects; D015735:Mifepristone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D006727:Hormone Antagonists; D015735:Mifepristone