Clinical characteristics and treatment modalities of vulvovaginal atrophy in genitourinary syndrome of menopause

Authors

  • Hae Jung Cho Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Republic of Korea
  • Jong Wook Seo Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Republic of Korea
  • Ji Sun Yoon Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Republic of Korea
  • Jae Eun Chung Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Republic of Korea http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0146-6286

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-1770.ijrcog20223467

Keywords:

Genitourinary syndrome, Vulvovaginal atrophy, Menopause, Dyspareunia

Abstract

Background: Genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) causes symptoms such as vaginal dryness, dysuria, repetitive urinary tract infection and urinary urgency may affect daily activities, sexual relationships, and overall quality of life. The aim of the study was to provide the clinical characteristics of VVA patients in South Korea and the effectiveness as well as complications of the currently used low dose estrogen vaginal suppository.

Methods: 52 women who has visited the outpatient gynecology clinic of the National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital from January 2018 to December 2019 were recruited as study subjects. For the analysis of the clinical characteristics, subjective symptoms described by the patient’s own words such as vaginal dryness, pain, dysuria, dyspareunia, or no symptoms at all were included. Objective signs such as thinning of vaginal rugae, mucosal dryness, and mucosal fragility and the presence of petechiae were recorded.

Results: Vaginal dryness was the most common complaint (92.3%). Thinning of the vaginal rugae was the most commonly noted objective sign (73.1%). Of the 52 subjects, 31 (59.6%) refrained from using the low dose estrogen vaginal suppository. The most common reason for not being able to use the suppository was the inability to insert the suppository (32.3%).

Conclusions: Although patient-reported symptoms and clinical objectivity through physical examination are two components in diagnosing VVA, further study is warranted for a more objective and discriminatory diagnosis criteria for VVA. As the only available treatment modality was low dose vaginal estrogen suppository, comparison with other treatment modalities were not available.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

Author Biographies

Hae Jung Cho, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Republic of Korea

department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Jong Wook Seo, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Republic of Korea

department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Ji Sun Yoon, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Republic of Korea

department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Jae Eun Chung, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Republic of Korea

Head of the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

References

Nappi RE, Martini E, Cucinella L, Martella S, Tiranini L, Inzoli A, et al. Addressing Vulvovaginal Atrophy (VVA)/Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM) for Healthy Aging in Women. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2019;10:561.

Portman DJ, Gass ML, Vulvovaginal Atrophy Terminology Consensus Conference Panel. Genitourinary syndrome of menopause: new terminology for vulvovaginal atrophy from the International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health and the North American Menopause Society. Maturitas. 2014;79(3):349-54.

Palma F, Volpe A, Villa P, Cagnacci A, Writing group of AGATA study. Vaginal atrophy of women in postmenopause. Results from a multicentric observational study: The AGATA study. Maturitas. 2016;83:40-4.

Nappi RE, Palacios S, Bruyniks N, Particco M, Panay N; EVES Study investigators. The burden of vulvovaginal atrophy on women's daily living: implications on quality of life from a face-to-face real-life survey. Menopause. 2019;26(5):485-91.

Edwards D, Panay N. Treating vulvovaginal atrophy/genitourinary syndrome of menopause: how important is vaginal lubricant and moisturizer composition? Climacteric. 2016;19(2):151-61.

Bride MB, Rhodes DJ, Shuster LT. Vulvovaginal atrophy. Mayo Clin Proc. 2010;85(1):87-94.

Wysocki S, Kingsberg S, Krychman M. Management of Vaginal Atrophy: Implications from the REVIVE Survey. Clin Med Insights Reprod Health. 2014;8:23-30.

Gandhi J, Chen A, Dagur G, Suh Y, Smith N, Cali B, et al. Genitourinary syndrome of menopause: an overview of clinical manifestations, pathophysiology, etiology, evaluation, and management. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2016;215(6):704-11.

Shifren JL. Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause. Clin Obstet Gynecol. 2018;61(3):508-16.

Lang K, Alexander IM, Simon J, Sussman M, Lin I, Menzin J, et al. The impact of multimorbidity on quality of life among midlife women: findings from a U.S. nationally representative survey. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2015;24(5):374-83.

The NAMS 2020 GSM Position Statement Editorial Panel. The 2020 genitourinary syndrome of menopause position statement of The North American Menopause Society. Menopause. 2020;27(9):976-92.

Downloads

Published

2022-12-28

How to Cite

Cho, H. J., Seo, J. W., Yoon, J. S., & Chung, J. E. (2022). Clinical characteristics and treatment modalities of vulvovaginal atrophy in genitourinary syndrome of menopause. International Journal of Reproduction, Contraception, Obstetrics and Gynecology, 12(1), 5–8. https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-1770.ijrcog20223467

Issue

Section

Original Research Articles