Treatment of idiopathic menorrhagia with tranexamic acid.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the efficacy of tranexamic acid in the treatment of idiopathic menorrhgia and to investigate the effect of medical treatment with tranexamic acid on the quality of life of the women with idiopathic menorrhagia.

DESIGN

Open, non-comparative study.

SETTING

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital.

SUBJECTS

40 women with idiopathic menorrhagia was confirmed by menstrual blood loss greater than 80 ml/ cycle (PBAC score > 100) and mid-luteal serum progesterone concentration greater than 5 pg/ml.

INTERVENTION

Treatment with tranexamic acid 1 g orally, three times daily, for five days from day 1 of the menstruation for two consecutive menstrual periods.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Menstrual blood loss was measured using the pictorial blood loss assessment chart (PBAC). Hematological assessments were made at the beginning, after the first treatment cycle and at the end of the study. Questionnaires were given to assess subjective endpoint, quality of life. Patients were asked to report any adverse event during the study period.

RESULTS

Tranexamic acid reduces the mean PBAC score by 49%, from 350.5 to 178.6. Regarding the change in the quality of life measures, the proportion of women who felt a considerable degree of impairment during the menstruation was reduced from nearly 60% to less than 5% during their third menstruation. No serious adverse events were reported.

CONCLUSION

Tranexamic acid is a safe and effective form of medical therapy in women with menorrhagia; also increases quality of life in these women.