Successful use of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist in a patient with pulmonary endometriosis

A 26-year-old single female was admitted to hospital with recurrent chest pain, cough and hemoptysis. The symptoms developed 5 months before admission coinciding with menstruation. The disease was diagnosed as pulmonary endometriosis, She was treated with a long-acting gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue (GnRH agonist; sustained-release leuprolide acetate, 3.75 mg/month, i.m.) for 6 months. She remained asymptomatic for 16 months with regular menstruation even after discontinuing the treatment. This indicates that the initial treatment of pulmonary endometriosis with a GnRH agonist is an acceptable medical alternative, especially in patients with a short duration of the disease from the onset of the chest symptoms. Copyright (C) 1999 S. Karger AG, Basel.