Continuous Norethisterone Acetate versus Cyclical Drospirenone 3 mg/Ethinyl Estradiol 20 μg for the Management of Primary Dysmenorrhea in Young Adult Women.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of continuous norethisterone acetate (NET-A), 5 mg (group N) vs cyclical combined oral contraceptive pill (COC) consisting of drospirenone 3 mg/ethinyl estradiol 20 μg pills (group P) in treating dysmenorrhea in young adult women.


METHODS
This prospective, open-label, nonrandomized study included 38 Jordanian patients: 20 patients in group N and 18 patients in group P.


METHODS
Continuous NET-A 5 mg daily or cyclical COC.


METHODS
Pain scores, adverse effects, analgesic use, school absence, and cost.


RESULTS
Thirty-eight patients used NET-A or COC for 6 months. All participants had almost the same starting levels of visual analogue scale (VAS) scores. Both drugs were similar in suppressing dysmenorrhea at the 3-month follow-up visit; VAS score mean (±SD) in group N and P were 1.30 ± 1.22 and 1.28 ± 0.83 (P = .22), respectively, and after 6 months, with mean VAS scores (±SD) of 1.30 ± 1.22 and 1.28 ± 0.83, respectively (P = .95). The cost of the treatment in the N group was much less than in the P group. Participants in the N group were less likely to use pain killers: 20% and 44% in the N and P groups, respectively (P = .006) in the first month and only 5% and 17% (P = .019) in the N and P groups, respectively, at the 3-month follow-up, and none of them used any analgesics at the 6-month follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
A continuous NET-A regimen is a well tolerated, effective, and inexpensive option for dysmenorrhea treatment and was as good as COC.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mutah Medical Faculty, Mutah University, Karak, Jordan. Electronic address: drmoamar@yahoo.co.uk.
Moamar
M
Al-Jefout
Department of Public Health, Mutah Medical Faculty, Mutah University, Karak, Jordan.
Nedal
N
Nawaiseh
D000293:Adolescent; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000736:Androstenes / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics; D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics; D003280:Contraceptives, Oral, Synthetic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007597:Jordan; D000451:Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics; D009640:Norethindrone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000191:economics; D000077563:Norethindrone Acetate; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D000700:Analgesics; D000736:Androstenes; D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined; D003280:Contraceptives, Oral, Synthetic; D000451:Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol; D000077563:Norethindrone Acetate; C035144:drospirenone; D009640:Norethindrone
Combined oral contraceptive pill; Norethisterone acetate; Primary dysmenorrhea; Young adult women