title: Valproic acid as a therapy for adenomyosis: a comparative case series.
abstract: Adenomyosis is a difficult disease to manage and currently there is no investigative drug for adenomyosis on the horizon. We have previously reported in a pilot study that valproic acid (VPA) appears to be effective in treating adenomyosis. In this case series, we further evaluated the efficacy of VPA, with or without a progestin-containing intrauterine device, in the treatment of patients with adenomyosis. We recruited 12 patients with confirmed adenomyosis who complained of dysmenorrehea and had enlarged uterus. All patients took VPA for 3 months, then randomly assigned to 2 groups, 1 receiving no further treatment and the other were inserted with a levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (Mirena) and were followed up for an additional 3 months. The primary outcome measures were the severity of dysmenorrhea and uterine size. Both measures were evaluated prior to the drug treatment and 3 and 6 months after the drug treatment, respectively. We found that VPA treatment resulted in complete resolution of dysmenorrhea and an average reduction in uterine size by 26% 6 months after the treatment, regardless of whether Mirena was used or not. Moreover, the amount of menses decreased significantly. Thus, VPA appears to be well tolerated and a promising drug for treating adenomyosis.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai Medical College, 419 Fangxie Road, Shanghai, China.
authors.lastname: Xishi Liu
authors.lastname: Lei Yuan
authors.forename: Sun-Wei
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007436:Intrauterine Devices, Medicated; D016912:Levonorgestrel / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009929:Organ Size; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011897:Random Allocation; D014599:Uterus / Q000187:drug effects*; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D016912:Levonorgestrel; D014635:Valproic Acid