Letrozole in Tubal Ectopic Pregnancy

Summary

This is a multi-centred randomized controlled trial on the addition of letrozole in the medical management of tubal ectopic pregnancies. Tubal ectopic pregnancies are abnormal pregnancies in the Fallopian tube, rather than in the womb. They occurred in around 1-2% of all pregnancies. Methotrexate (MTX) given by the intramuscular route i.e. systemic, a commonly used drug for cancer , was a widely used alternative for management for unruptured tubal ectopic pregnancies and was recommended as first line treatment for selected women. Letrozole, aromatase inhibitor, can suppose oestradiol level. Combination of letrozole with misprostol has shown to improve the complete abortion rate in miscarriage. As a result, addition of letrozole may cause a higher success rate in the medical treatment of ectopic pregnancy. As the evidence of combination of MTX and letrozole in tubal ectopic pregnancies is not available, the objective of the present study is to evaluate the efficacy of combination of MTX and letrozole compared to MTX alone in women with tubal ectopic pregnancies.

Timeline

Start

2020-12-01

Primary completion

2024-12-30

Completion

2025-03-31

Publications

• Background Panelli DM, Phillips CH, Brady PC. Incidence, diagnosis and management of tubal and nontubal ectopic pregnancies: a review. Fertil Res Pract. 2015 Oct 15;1:15. doi: 10.1186/s40738-015-0008-z. eCollection 2015.
• Background Diagnosis and Management of Ectopic Pregnancy: Green-top Guideline No. 21. BJOG. 2016 Dec;123(13):e15-e55. doi: 10.1111/1471-0528.14189. Epub 2016 Nov 3. No abstract available.
• Background Odejinmi F, Huff KO, Oliver R. Individualisation of intervention for tubal ectopic pregnancy: historical perspectives and the modern evidence based management of ectopic pregnancy. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2017 Mar;210:69-75. doi: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2016.10.037. Epub 2016 Oct 29.
• Background National Collaborating Centre for Ws, Children's H. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence: Guidance. Ectopic Pregnancy and Miscarriage: Diagnosis and Initial Management in Early Pregnancy of Ectopic Pregnancy and Miscarriage. London: Rcog National Collaborating Centre for Women's and Children's Health.; 2012.
• Background Shi L, Shi SQ, Given RL, von Hertzen H, Garfield RE. Synergistic effects of antiprogestins and iNOS or aromatase inhibitors on establishment and maintenance of pregnancy. Steroids. 2003 Nov;68(10-13):1077-84. doi: 10.1016/j.steroids.2003.09.002.
• Background Albrecht ED, Aberdeen GW, Pepe GJ. The role of estrogen in the maintenance of primate pregnancy. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2000 Feb;182(2):432-8. doi: 10.1016/s0002-9378(00)70235-3.
• Background Lee VCY, Ng EHY, Yeung WSB, Ho PC. Misoprostol with or without letrozole pretreatment for termination of pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial. Obstet Gynecol. 2011 Feb;117(2 Pt 1):317-323. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0b013e3182073fbf.
• Background Lee VC, Tang OS, Ng EH, Yeung WS, Ho PC. A pilot study on the use of letrozole with either misoprostol or mifepristone for termination of pregnancy up to 63 days. Contraception. 2011 Jan;83(1):62-7. doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2010.05.014. Epub 2010 Jun 23.

Drugs

Indications