Factors influencing adolescents' responses to regimens of naproxen for dysmenorrhea
R. H. DuRant, M. S. Jay, T. Shoffitt, C. W. Linder and W. Taylor
The efficacy of different regimens of naproxen sodium for relief of
dysmenorrhea in female adolescents was compared and the effect of other
social/psychologic factors on the response to treatment tested. Following
pretesting, 45 female adolescents were randomly assigned in a double-blind
fashion to one of five treatment regimens and were followed up after 1, 2,
and 3 months of treatment. There was a dose-related response to naproxen
sodium therapy, with subjects receiving loading doses of 550 mg reporting
better symptom relief than subjects receiving loading doses of 275 mg.
During the first month of treatment, adolescents who reported increased
life crisis events experienced greater symptom severity following naproxen
therapy. Also, adolescents who reported more severe dysmenorrhea symptoms
following three months of naproxen therapy had significantly lower
self-concepts than adolescents who reported less symptoms following
treatment.
