Estrogenic suppression by different administration schedules of goserelin depot for treatment of endometriosis.

Eighteen patients affected by laparoscopically confirmed endometriosis were randomly assigned to three different schedules of treatment with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) (goserelin depot formulation 3.6 mg) every 28 days for 6 months. Six women received the first implant in early follicular phase, 4 in late luteal phase and 8 in 3rd and 17th day from onset of menses. Pretreatment and posttreatment laparoscopic score, performed according to the American Fertility Society scoring system, were compared; a significant reduction in the extent of disease was observed in each group investigated (A and C: p < 0.01; B: p < 0.05). In each treatment group after the second GnRH-a implant the mean levels of estrone-3-glucuronide (E1-3G), daily measured in early morning urine specimens during the control cycle and the first three months of therapy, were suppressed to menopausal women range. In group B during the 2nd and 3rd month of therapy, the urinary mean levels of E1-3G were significantly lower than in group A and C. In conclusion the different goserelin depot administration schedules gave similar laparoscopic improvement, in spite of the first GnRH-a administration in luteal phase allowed a more marked estrogenic suppression.