Bleeding patterns of women with heavy menstrual bleeding or dysmenorrhoea using the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system: results from a real-world observational study in Japan (J-MIRAI)

Eur J Contracept Reprod Health Care. 2022 Aug;27(4):300-307. doi: 10.1080/13625187.2022.2067329. Epub 2022 May 25.

Abstract

Purpose: To collect real-world safety and clinical outcome data on the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) for functional/organic heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) and dysmenorrhoea in Japanese women (J-MIRAI).

Materials and methods: In this prospective, multicentre, single-cohort, open-label, post-authorisation study, we assessed menstrual blood loss after LNG-IUS insertion by changes from baseline in pictorial blood loss assessment chart (PBAC) scores. Scores for the menorrhagia multi-attribute scale (MMAS) were collected for 12 months to assess quality of life.

Results: We included 47 patients with complete PBAC score and patient diary data. The median PBAC score before LNG-IUS insertion was 159.0, which decreased significantly to 6.0 at 12 months post-insertion; for patients with adenomyosis (n = 20), PBAC score decreased from 174.5 pre-insertion to 19.5 at 12 months. The number of patient-reported bleeding days was correlated with PBAC score ≥5. The proportion of women with prolonged bleeding decreased from 85.7% to 34.6% by the study's end. Some women reported no bleeding after the first 90-day reference period. The mean MMAS overall score significantly increased from 50.50 before insertion to 88.67 at 12 months.

Conclusions: Japanese women with functional/organic HMB experienced substantial reductions in bleeding symptoms and improvements in quality of life after 12-month use of the LNG-IUS.

Keywords: Dysmenorrhoea; heavy menstrual bleeding; levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system; menorrhagia multi-attribute scale; menstrual blood loss; pictorial blood loss assessment chart.

Publication types

  • Observational Study

MeSH terms

  • Contraceptive Agents, Female* / adverse effects
  • Dysmenorrhea / drug therapy
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Intrauterine Devices, Medicated* / adverse effects
  • Japan
  • Levonorgestrel / adverse effects
  • Menorrhagia* / drug therapy
  • Prospective Studies
  • Quality of Life

Substances

  • Contraceptive Agents, Female
  • Levonorgestrel