Chronic pelvic pain, quality of life and sexual health of women treated with palmitoylethanolamide and α-lipoic acid.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this paper was to evaluate the effects of the association between palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) and α-lipoic acid (LA) on quality of life (QoL) and sexual function in women affected by endometriosis-associated pelvic pain.


METHODS
Fifty-six women constituted the study group and were given PEA 300 mg and LA 300mg twice daily To define the endometriosis-associated pelvic pain, the visual analogic scale (VAS) was used. The Short Form-36 (SF-36), the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and the Female Sexual Distress Scale (FSDS) were used to assess the QoL, the sexual function and the sexual distress, respectively. The study included three follow-ups at 3, 6 and 9 months.


RESULTS
No changes were observed in pain, QoL and sexual function at the 3rd month follow-up (P=NS). By the 6th and 9th month, pain symptoms (P<0.001) and all categories of the QoL (P<0.001) improved. The FSFI and the FSDS scores did not change at the 3rd month follow-up (P=ns). On the contrary, at the 3rd and 9th months follow-ups they improved with respect to the baseline (P<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The progressive reduction of the pain syndrome reported by women over the treatment period could contribute to improve the QoL and sexual life of women on PEA and LA.
Department of General Surgery and Medical-Surgical Specialities, Gynaecology Clinic,Policlinico Ospedaliero Universitario, Catania, Italy - scaruso@unict.it.
S
S
Caruso
M
M
Iraci Sareri
E
E
Casella
B
B
Ventura
V
V
Fava
A
A
Cianci
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000577:Amides; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004983:Ethanolamines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010169:Palmitic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life; D060728:Reproductive Health; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000175:diagnosis; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis; D008063:Thioctic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
D000577:Amides; D004983:Ethanolamines; D010169:Palmitic Acids; C005958:palmidrol; D008063:Thioctic Acid