Conservative treatment of endometriosis externa: the effects of danazol therapy

This report presents the clinical responses of 39 women who underwent danazol treatment for conservative therapy of proven endometriosis. The patients were treated with 800 mg of danazol daily for a mean duration of 7.3 months and were clinically reevaluated at 16.9 months (mean) following the end of treatment. Complete subjective pain relief was noted in 38 patients (97%) within 6 weeks of the onset of danazol therapy. One patient noted only partial amelioration of pain. Recurrence of pain was noted in 38% of all patients at a mean of 6.9 months following therapy. More advanced disease was associated with an increased likelihood and rapidity of recurrence. Twenty-nine of the women were infertile. After treatment, nine conceived (33%). However, when patients with infertility potentially due to other causes also present were excluded, the corrected pregnancy rate was 56%. The side effects of danazol therapy were minimal and cleared rapidly following termination of the drug. These results compare favorably with other study populations where recurrence of disease and corrected pregnancy rates were specifically considered.