Objective: To determine whether nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) affect the establishment and progression of endometriotic lesions in a murine model.
Design: Pharmacologic intervention in a surgically induced murine model of abdominal/peritoneal endometriosis.
Setting: Animal research facility.
Patient(s): Eight-week-old, female C57BL/6 mice.
Intervention(s): After implantation of autologous endometrium, mice were randomized into groups and treated with one of several NSAIDs or the vehicle-matched control for 4 weeks.
Main outcome measure(s): Establishment, growth, and total burden of endometriotic lesions.
Result(s): The NSAIDs differentially inhibited lesion establishment and growth, resulting in significantly reduced disease burden. Compared with controls (5.7 +/- 2.3 mm(2)), lesion burden was reduced by celecoxib (1.3 +/- 1.2 mm(2)), indomethacin (1.4 +/- 1.4 mm(2)), naproxen (2.7 +/- 1.2 mm(2)), sulindac (3.1 +/- 1.5 mm(2)), rofecoxib (3.4 +/- 3.0 mm(2)), and ibuprofen (4.1 +/- 1.4 mm(2)). In contrast, aspirin (5.9 +/- 1.2 mm(2)) had no statistically significant effect. Uninterrupted estrus cycling was confirmed by vaginal exams and smears in celecoxib-treated mice.
Conclusion(s): Chronic administration of certain NSAIDs limits the progression of endometriosis in this murine model. The data suggest that NSAID selection in the treatment of endometriosis should be extended beyond pain management to maximize the inhibitory effect on disease burden.