Preliminary report on the treatment of endometriosis with low-dose mifepristone (RU 486).
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.
Kettel
L M
LM
Department of Reproductive Medicine, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, USA.
Murphy
A A
AA
Morales
A J
AJ
Yen
S S
SS
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
D006727:Hormone Antagonists; D015735:Mifepristone