Naproxen sodium in dysmenorrhea secondary to endometriosis

Twenty patients with moderate to very severe painful menstrual periods secondary to endometriosis were treated in a double-blind, four-period, crossover clinical trial with naproxen sodium and placebo. Complete or substantial pain relief was obtained in 83% of the cases of painful menstruation with naproxen sodium and in 41% with placebo (P = .008). Only 5% of the naproxen sodium-treated women needed supplemental analgesics compared with 36% of the placebo-treated women (P = .002). There was a trend towards diminished interference of dysmenorrhea with normal patient activities during naproxen sodium treatment compared with placebo (P = .069). No significant side effects occurred with either treatment. These results indicated that naproxen sodium is efficacious and safe for the treatment of menstrual distress in patients with endometriosis.