title: Effectiveness of ethinylestradiol/drospirenone for premenstrual symptoms in Japanese patients with dysmenorrhea: Open-label pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A combined oral contraceptive containing ethinylestradiol 20 µg plus drospirenone 3 mg (EE20 + DRSP) in a 24/4 regimen has been shown to alleviate the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of EE20 + DRSP in Japanese patients with premenstrual symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multicenter, prospective, open-label, single-arm, phase IV study was performed in Japanese women with dysmenorrhea and premenstrual symptoms. They were treated with EE20 + DRSP to alleviate the symptoms of dysmenorrhea for six treatment cycles. Premenstrual symptoms were evaluated using a Premenstrual Symptoms Questionnaire at baseline and after three and six cycles of EE20 + DRSP. The degree of dysmenorrhea was also evaluated using a visual analog scale at baseline and after one, three, and six cycles of EE20 + DRSP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-eight patients were treated with EE20 + DRSP. Most of the premenstrual symptoms were alleviated significantly by three and six cycles of EE20 + DRSP treatment. EE20 + DRSP treatment significantly improved the severity of premenstrual symptoms. We also confirmed the effectiveness of EE20 + DRSP for the treatment for dysmenorrhea.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that EE20 + DRSP could be a useful treatment strategy for premenstrual symptoms in Japanese women.
authors: Division of Women's Health, Research Institute of Traditional Asian Medicine, Kinki University School of Medicine, Osaka-Sayama, Japan.|Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Aoba, Japan.
authors: Takashi
authors: T
authors: Takeda
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Aoba, Japan.
authors: Akiko
authors: A
authors: Kondo
authors: Lady's Clinic Koga, Sendai, Japan.
authors: Shoko
authors: S
authors: Koga
authors: Hayawaka Clinic, Osaka, Japan.
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Hayakawa
authors: Hayawaka Clinic, Osaka, Japan.
authors: Kenichi
authors: K
authors: Hayakawa
authors: Hiramatsu Women's Clinic, Osaka, Japan.
authors: Keizo
authors: K
authors: Hiramatsu
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Aoba, Japan.
authors: Nobuo
authors: N
authors: Yaegashi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000736:Androstenes / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008875:Middle Aged; D000451:Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011293:Premenstrual Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000736:Androstenes; D004967:Estrogens; D000451:Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists; C059181:ethinyl estriol; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol; C035144:drospirenone
keywords: combined oral contraceptive pill; drospirenone; premenstrual dysphoric disorder; premenstrual syndrome