Table 2.
Changes in pain and gastrointestinal symptoms during the treatment.
| Symptom | Baseline | 6 Months | 12 Months | 24 Months | 36 Months |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dysmenorrhea | 7.0 ± 1.2 (n = 73) | 5.5 ± 1.4 (n = 27) P < 0.001 * | 4.3 ± 1.8 (n = 18) P < 0.001 * P = 0.046 § | 4.3± 2.1 (n = 13) P < 0.001 * P = 0.044 § P = 0.632 ¥ | 4.4 ± 2.0 (n = 8) P < 0.001 * P = 0.146 § P = 0.546 ¥ P = 0.732 £ |
| Chronic pelvic pain | 6.1 ± 0.9 (n = 60) | 4.0 ± 1.3 (n = 53); P < 0.001 * | 3.3 ± 1.0 (n = 44); P < 0.001 * P = 0.001 § | 3.4 ± 1.6 (n = 35); P < 0.001 * P = 0.548 § P = 0.582 ¥ | 3.3 ± 1.2 (n = 22); P < 0.001 * P = 0.245 § P = 0.763 ¥ P = 0.819 £ |
| Deep dyspareunia | 5.7 ± 1.9 (n = 57) | 4.3 ± 2.2 (n = 53); P < 0.001 * | 3.6 ± 1.8 (n = 45); P < 0.001 * P = 0.045 § | 3.6 ± 1.6 (n = 38); P < 0.001 * P = 0.538 § P = 0.909 ¥ | 3.7 ± 1.1 (n = 26); P < 0.001 * P = 0.563 § P = 0.226 ¥ P = 0.384 £ |
| Dyschezia | 5.2 ± 1.6 (n = 48) | 3.8 ± 2.2 (n = 43); P < 0.001 * | 3.2 ± 2.6 (n = 40); P < 0.001 * P = 0.039 § | 3.0 ± 1.8 (n = 31); P < 0.001 * P = 0.908 § P = 0.131 ¥ | 2.7 ± 1.9 (n = 19); P < 0.001 * P = 0.304 § P = 0.220 ¥ P = 0.398 £ |
| Constipation | 6.7 ± 1.5 (n = 37) | 2.4 ± 2.4 (n = 33); P < 0.001 * | 1.9 ± 2.0 (n = 33); P < 0.001 * P = 0.086 § | 1.9 ± 1.6 (n = 25); P < 0.001 * P = 0.942 § P = 0.192 ¥ | 1.8 ± 1.7 (n = 16); P<0.001 * P = 0.609 § P = 0.300 ¥ P = 0.436 £ |
| Constipation during the menstrual cycle | 4.6 ± 1.5 (n = 19) | 1.9 ± 0.6 (n = 8) P < 0.001 * | 0.8 ± 0.3 (n = 6) P = 0.001 * P = 0.012 § | 1.4 ± 0.4 (n = 5) P = 0.015 * P = 0.012 § P = 0.059 ¥ | 1.1 ± 0.1 (n = 3) P = 0.063* P = 0.272 § P = 0.195 ¥ P = 0.423 £ |
| Diarrhea | 6.9 ± 1.4 (n = 36) | 2.2 ± 2.3 (n = 33) P<0.001 * | 1.9 ± 2.1 (n = 33); P < 0.001 * P = 0.086 § | 1.8 ± 1.5 (n = 25); P < 0.001 * P = 0.878 § P = 0.129 ¥ | 1.6 ± 1.8 (n = 16); P < 0.001 * P = 0.359 § P = 0.108 ¥ P = 0.223 £ |
| Diarrhea during the menstrual cycle | 4.0 ± 1.6 (n = 15) | 1.6 ± 0.8 (n = 7) P = 0.009 * | 1.2 ± 0.4 (n = 6) P = 0.006 * P = 0.434 § | 1.4 ± 1.1 (n = 5); P = 0.040 * P = 0.807 § P = 0.865 ¥ | 1.0 ± 0.0 (n = 3); P = 0.015 * P = 0.020 § P = 0.321 ¥ P = 0.423 £ |
| Intestinal cramping | 5.6 ± 2.0 (n = 40) | 3.5 ± 2.3 (n = 37); P < 0.001 * | 3.2 ± 1.4 (n = 29); P < 0.001 * P = 0.079 § | 3.1 ± 1.6 (n = 24); P < 0.001 * P = 0.036 § P = 0.953 ¥ | 3.1 ± 1.5 (n = 17); P < 0.001 * P = 0.141 § P = 0.725 ¥ P = 0.681 £ |
| Feeling of incomplete evacuation | 5.6 ± 1.7 (n = 44) | 3.6 ± 2.4 (n = 43); P < 0.001 * | 3.2 ± 2.0 (n = 36); P < 0.001 * P = 0.455 § | 3.3 ± 1.9 (n = 31); P < 0.001 * P = 0.588 § P = 0.792 ¥ | 3.2 ± 1.5 (n = 20); P < 0.001 * P = 0.128 § P = 0.609 ¥ P = 0.499 £ |
| Passage of mucus | 5.6 ± 1.9 (n = 43) | 5.5 ± 2.2 (n = 41); P = 0.206 * | 2.9 ± 1.8 (n = 34); P < 0.001 * P < 0.001 § | 3.0 ± 2.3 (n = 29); P < 0.001 * P = 0.001 § P = 0.977 ¥ | 2.9 ± 1.1 (n = 19); P<0.001 * P = 0.001 § P = 0.861 ¥ P = 0.954 £ |
| Cyclical rectal bleeding | 4.1 ± 2.3 (n = 11) | 1.3 ± 0.9 (n = 6) P = 0.047 * | 1.3 ± 0.5 (n = 4) P = 0.057 * P = 0.330 § | 0.8 ± 0.3 (n = 3); P = 0.004 * P = 0.188 § P = 0.177 ¥ | 1.2 ± 0.8 (n = 3); P = 0.053 * P = 0.873 § P = 0.635 ¥ P = 0.275 £ |
* Compared with baseline; § compared with 6-month follow-up; ¥ compared with 12-month follow-up; £ compared with 24-month follow-up. NA: complete absence. The number of patients suffering each symptom at baseline and at the specific follow-up visits is reported in parenthesis.