To investigate the effects of medroxyprogesterone acetate combined with a levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine contraceptive system (Mirena) on the levels of sex hormone and vascular endothelial growth factor in patients with moderate and severe endometriosis after laparoscopic surgery.

A total of 102 patients with endometriosis who received laparoscopic conservative surgery in Hangzhou Ninth People's Hospital from October 2015 to May 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. They were randomly assigned to undergo either medroxyprogesterone acetate treatment alone (control group, n = 51) or medroxyprogesterone acetate treatment + levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine contraceptive system application (observation group, n = 51) for 6 successive months. Clinical efficacy, serum luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, estradiol and vascular endothelial growth factor levels, Visual Analogue Scale score, endometriosis recurrence rate, and adverse reactions were compared between the control and observation groups.

Total effective rate in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group [94.12% (48/51) vs. 80.93% (41/51), χ² = 4.320, P < 0.05]. At 6 months after surgery, serum luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, estradiol and vascular endothelial growth factor levels in the observation group were (5.72 ± 0.53) U/L, (5.05 ± 0.91) U/L, (156.02 ± 21.80) pmol/L and (155.39 ± 24.72) ng/L respectively, which were significantly lower than those in the control group [(6.51 ± 0.67) U/L, (5.73 ± 0.68) U/L, (177.20 ± 23.20) pmol/L and (186.22 ± 28.14) ng/L, t = 6.604, 4.275, 4.747 and 5.878, all P < 0.05). At 3 and 6 months after surgery, Visual Analogue Scale score in the observation group were (2.39 ± 0.33) points and (1.27 ± 0.20) points respectively, which were significantly lower than those in the control group [(2.72 ± 0.40) points, (1.52 ± 0.25) points, t = 4.545 and 5.577, both P < 0.05]. Two-year follow-up results revealed that endometriosis recurrence in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group [1.96% (1/51) vs. 13.73% (7/51), χ² = 4.883, P < 0.05]. There was no significant difference in total incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups [15.69% (8/51) vs. 13.73% (7/51),χ² = 0.078, P > 0.05].

Application of medroxyprogesterone acetate combined with a levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine contraceptive system after laparoscopic surgery for moderate and severe endometriosis can effectively regulate serum levels of sex hormone and vascular endothelial growth factor, decrease endometriosis recurrence rate and is highly safe. This method is worthy of clinical promotion.

Endometriosis; Laparoscopy; Medroxyprogesterone acetate; Levonorgestrel; Intrauterine devices; Vascular endothelial growth factors; Gonadal hormones; Safety