Menopause increases the risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), possibly owing to the abrupt lack of estrogen. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) treatment in endometriosis is regarded as a model of pharmaceutical menopause. Thus, the effect of goserelin acetate, a GnRH analog that results in transient menopause, on hepatic steatosis and fibrosis will be evaluated in this study.
women of reproductive age
diagnosis of endometriosis. The disease is suspected by patient's individual history (chronic pelvic pain, dyspareunia or/and dysmenorrhea) and the ultrasonographic imaging (chocolate cysts). The diagnosis is confirmed histologically, after laparoscopic surgical treatment and biopsy sampling, which will be interpreted by an independent blinded pathologist.
use of contraceptives, which is the first line treatment, is contraindicated or the patient does not consent to receive contraceptives, due to personal preferences.
written informed consent to participate to the study
mean ethanol consumption >10 g/day
history of other chronic liver disease (e.g., viral hepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, primary biliary cholangitis and overlap syndromes, drug-induced liver injury, hemochromatosis, Wilson's disease, α1-antitrypsin deficiency)
liver cirrhosis
any malignancy
Aristotle University Of Thessaloniki
Lead sponsor
424 General Military Hospital
Collaborator