title: Pituitary desensitization for eight weeks after the administration of two distinct gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonists.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective was to evaluate the duration of pituitary desensitization after the administration of 3.5 mg of triptorelin (T) and leuprolin (L) depot preparations in patients with endometriosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two groups of 30 patients received, on 21st day of the cycle, 3.75 mg i.m. of triptorelin (T group), and of leuprolin acetate (L group). From the first to the eighth week following gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRH-a) administration both groups underwent pelvic ultrasound and serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and estradiol (E2) evaluation. Statistical analysis was performed using the ANOVA test and the median test. A p-value < 0.05 was considered significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pituitary suppression was achieved from two to six and from two to seven weeks after the administration of 3.75 mg of leuprolin and triptorelin, respectively. FSH and LH serum levels were significantly higher in the L group than in the T group after the fourth week.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Leuprolin and triptorelin depots (3.75 mg) promote satisfactory ovarian suppression lasting for six and seven weeks, respectively, after administration, with significantly different ambient levels of endogenous LH.
authors.affiliation: Operative Unit of Obstetric and Gynecology, Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy. m.matteo@unifg.it
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matteo
authors.forename: Ettore
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Caroppo
authors.forename: Orion
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gliozheni
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Carone
authors.forename: Luca Maria
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Schonauer
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vizziello
authors.forename: Pantaleo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Greco
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: D'Amato
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000819:agonists* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D016729:Leuprolide / Q000494:pharmacology; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D034445:Ovulation Inhibition / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects*; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000378:metabolism*; D017329:Triptorelin Pamoate / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D017329:Triptorelin Pamoate; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D004958:Estradiol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D016729:Leuprolide