Endometriosis is a chronic gynecologic disease that affects approximately 10% of women in the reproductive age group . It is characterized by the presence of endometrial tissue outside the uterus, causing pelvic pain and subfertility. It is estimated that around 40% of infertile women have the diagnosis of endometriosis . Infertility secondary to endometriosis is thought to be multifactorial. Women with endometriosis often require in vitro fertilization (IVF). One medical intervention that has been shown to improve IVF outcomes in women with endometriosis is hormonal suppression with gonadotropic releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) for a period of 3 to 6 months . In recent years, the effectiveness of dienogest, a fourth-generation progestin, for endometriosis treatment has been demonstrated. Dienogest seems to be as effective as GnRH-a in improving endometriosis-related pelvic pain \[4\]. However, no study has yet assessed whether dienogest has any benefit in treating endometriosis associated infertility. The aim of our study is to evaluate the efficacy of dienogest versus GnRH-a in improving ongoing pregnancy rates in women undergoing IVF due to endometriosis. We will conduct a non-blinded randomized controlled trial. One group will receive dienogest 2mg daily for a period of 3 months followed by a standard IVF/Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) cycle. The second group will receive one injection of 3.75mg of GnRH-a every 28 days for three doses followed by a standard IVF/ICSI cycle 3 months later. The third group will not receive any medical interventions before the planned IVF/ICSI cycle. We hypothesize that patients receiving dienogest will have similar ongoing pregnancy rates compared to patients receiving the GnRH-a injection. Secondary outcomes including number of gonadotropins consumed, number of stimulation days, number of metaphase II eggs retrieved, fertilization rate, embryo quality, miscarriage rate, clinical pregnancy rates, live birth rates and potential maternal and obstetrical complications will also be evaluated. We will also compare ongoing pregnancy rates between the groups receiving Dienogest and placebo, and GnRH agonist and placebo.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
189
Dienogest is a fourth-generation progestin of 19-nortestosterone derivative, that has been shown to improve endometriosis associated pelvic pain. It is well tolerated with no androgenic, glucocorticoid or mineralocorticoid activity. Dienogest creates a hyperprogestogenic and hypoestrogenic environment that initially induces a secretory state and then a decidualization of the ectopic endometrium and finally its atrophy. It also inhibits aromatase and COX-2 expression as well as prostaglandin E2 production in endometriotic stromal cells. It also normalizes the activity of natural killer cells and decreases the release of interleukin-1b by macrophages. These anti-inflammatory properties further help in reducing the size of endometriotic lesions
gonadotropic releasing hormone agonist
In-vitro fertilization +/- assisted reproductive technology
American University of Beirut Medical center
Beirut, Lebanon
RECRUITINGOngoing pregnancy rate
pregnancy positive fetal cardiac activity with beyond 12 weeks of gestation (%)
Time frame: 12 weeks of gestation
Gonadotropin consumption (IU)
Gonadotropin consumption (IU)
Time frame: 3 months
stimulation (days)
Duration of stimulation (days)
Time frame: up to 15 days
metaphase II oocytes retrieved
Number of metaphase II oocytes retrieved at the time of egg collection (n).
Time frame: 12 weeks of gestation
Fertilization rate
the number of 2PN zygotes divided by the total number of mature metaphase II oocytes retrieved (%).
Time frame: day 2
Embryo quality.
Embryo quality according to embryo grading at day 3 or day5
Time frame: day 3 or 5
Clinical pregnancy rate
the presence of a gestational sac, with or without cardiac activity, on ultrasound assessment (%).
Time frame: 12 weeks of gestation
Ongoing pregnancy rate -2
pregnancy positive fetal cardiac activity with beyond 12 weeks of gestation (%)
Time frame: 12 weeks of gestation
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