Comparison of the effects of cetrorelix, a GnRH antagonist, and leuprolide, a GnRH agonist, on experimental endometriosis.
OBJECTIVE
In the present study, we aimed to compare the effects of cetrorelix and leuprolide on endometriosis.


METHODS
This randomized, placebo-controlled, single-blind, experimental study was performed on 45 Wistar adult female rats in the Experimental Surgery Laboratory at Ondokuz Mayis University. After the peritoneal implantation of endometrial tissue, rats were randomized to three equal intervention groups: (i) control group, (ii) leuprolide group, and (iii) cetrorelix group. Six weeks later, following implant volume measurements (volume-1) by performing a second laparotomy, saline (0.1 cc/rat) was administered subcutaneously to the control group once a week, leuprolide (0.075 mg/kg) subcutaneously to the leuprolide group twice at 4-week intervals and cetrorelix (0.001 mg/rat/day) subcutaneously to the cetrorelix group for 8 weeks. At the end of the treatment, by performing a third laparotomy, implant volumes were remeasured (volume-2) and implants were totally excised for histopathological examination. The volume-1 and volume-2 values within the groups, and stromal and glandular tissue scores between the groups were compared.


RESULTS
In both the leuprolide group and the cetrorelix group, volume-2 as compared to volume-1 had significantly reduced (P < 0.01, P < 0.01 respectively), while there was no significant volume change in the control group (P > 0.05). In this group, when compared with the control group, glandular and stromal tissues had significantly lessened (P < 0.01, P < 0.01 respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Leuprolide and cetrorelix were found to have similar efficacy in the regression of both the size and the histological structure of experimental endometriotic implants.
Altintas
Devrim
D
Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samsun, Turkey.
Kokcu
Arif
A
Tosun
Migraci
M
Cetinkaya
Mehmet B
MB
Kandemir
Bedri
B
D000818:Animals; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006727:Hormone Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007813:Laparotomy; D016729:Leuprolide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D016037:Single-Blind Method
D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D006727:Hormone Antagonists; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D016729:Leuprolide; C062876:cetrorelix