Pentoxifylline versus placebo in the treatment of infertility associated with minimal or mild endometriosis: a pilot randomized clinical trial

Balasch J, J Balasch, Juan Balasch, M Creus, Creus M, Montserrat Creus, Fábregues F, F Fábregues, Francisco Fábregues, Francisco Carmona, F Carmona, S Martínez-Román, Sergio Martínez‐Román, Martínez-Román S, Dolors Manau, Manau D, D. Manau, Juan A. Vanrell, J A Vanrell, Vanrell JA
Human Reproduction · 1997 · vol. 12(9) , pp. 2046–2050 · doi:10.1093/humrep/12.9.2046 · PMID:9363727 · W2105478806
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This randomized clinical trial found no statistically significant difference in pregnancy rates between women with minimal or mild endometriosis treated with pentoxifylline or placebo over 12 months.

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Abstract

The present study is the first prospective randomized controlled trial of the effect of pentoxifylline on future fertility in infertile women with asymptomatic minimal or mild endometriosis. After completion of a basic infertility workup and laparoscopy, patients were entered into the study and randomly allocated to receive either a 12 month course of oral pentoxifylline (800 mg/day) (n = 30) or an oral placebo (n = 30). Those patients with other infertility factors were included in the study only if the factors were correctable and ultimately determined to be non-contributory. Life-table analysis was used to compare pregnancy rates between the two groups over a 12 month period that started immediately after laparoscopy. The 12 month actuarial overall pregnancy rates were 31 and 18.5% in the pentoxifylline and placebo groups respectively. However, this difference was not statistically significant by the chi(2)-test. Similarly, the Cox regression method showed no differences between the hazard of pregnancy in the two groups studied (odds ratio, 0.56; 95% confidence interval, 0.18-1.67). Therefore, there is no evidence from this study that immunomodulation with pentoxifylline aids fertility in those women with minimal or mild endometriosis. Further studies including more infertile patients with endometriosis are desirable in order to confirm our results.

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Condition tags

endometriosisinfertility

MeSH descriptors

Adjuvants, Immunologic Endometriosis Infertility Pentoxifylline Adjuvants, Immunologic Endometriosis Female Humans Infertility Infertility Pentoxifylline Pilot Projects Placebos Pregnancy Prospective Studies

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