Levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (Mirena) in compare to medroxyprogesterone acetate as a therapy for endometrial hyperplasia

BACKGROUND This study was designed to evaluate the comparison of insertion of levonorgestrel (LNG)-releasing intrauterine system versus oral medroxyprogesterone acetate on endometrial hyperplasia in a randomized controlled trial. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 60 women with the initial histopathological diagnosis of endometrial hyperplasia in two groups received LNG or medroxyprogesterone (10 mg/d orally) for 12 days a month for 3 months). Endometrial biopsy was obtained for all patients after 3 months of treatment. Response to treatment was defined based on the histopathology of the post treatment pipelle endometrial specimens in three categories of resolution, persistence and progression. RESULTS Treatment response rate in patients in the LNG group was 89.3% (25 of 28 patients), versus 70.4% (19 of 27 patients) in patients in the medroxyprogesterone group. The rate of persistence was 10.7% (3 of 28 patients) and 22.2% (6 of 27 patients) in LNG and medroxyprogesterone groups respectively. No progression of endometrial hyperplasia observed in any of the patients in LNG group, but progression of endometrial hyperplasia was observed in 7.4% (2 of 27 patients) in the medroxyprogesterone group. There was no statistically significant difference between groups regarding the response to treatment (P = 0.15). Side effects such as bloating, weight gain, fatigue and hair loss were comparable between the groups (P > 0.05). Hirsutism was significantly more in the medroxyprogesterone group than LNG group (P = 0.013). CONCLUSION Results showed that the use of LNG for treating endometrial hyperplasia for 3 months was associated with high-treatment response rate and the low proportion of patients with progression compared to the use of medroxyprogesterone.