1. Symptom severity and quality of life in the management of vulvovaginal atrophy in postmenopausal women
- Author
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Nick, Panaya, Santiago, Palacios, Nico, Bruyniks, Martire, Particco, Nappi, Rossella E., Argudo, Prieto, Baqueda, L., Becorpi, A. M., Benedetti Panici, P., Benedetto, C., Biglia, N., Busacca, M., Cagnacci, A., Calleja Abu-Amshah, J., Cancelo Hidalgo, M. J., Castelo Branco i Flores, C., Cianci, A., Cicinelli, E., Coronado Martin, P., Correa Rancel, M., De Seta, F., Di Carlo, C., Fernández Abellán, M., Fernández Moya, J. M., Gambacciani, M., García Alfaro, P., González Fernández, M., González Rodríguez, S., Guida, M., Iglesias Bravo, E., Llaneza Coto, P., Luisi, S., Manubens Grau, M., Marchesoni, D., Marín Sánchez, P., Mendoza Ladrón de Guevara, N., Nappi, R., Otero García- Ramos, B., Paoletti, A. M., Palacios, S., Pellegrino, A., Presa Lorite, J. C., Remorgida, V., Salvatore, S., Sánchez Borrego, R., Sánchez Méndez, S., Seracchioli, R., Stomati, M., Surico, N., Vázquez Fernández, F., and P. Villa.
- Subjects
Quality of life ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Hormone Replacement Therapy ,Cross-sectional study ,Sexual Behavior ,Sexual function ,medicine.medical_treatment ,Severity of Illness Index ,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology ,Vulva ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Surveys and Questionnaires ,Internal medicine ,Severity of illness ,Non-hormonal treatment ,medicine ,Humans ,030212 general & internal medicine ,Aged ,030219 obstetrics & reproductive medicine ,business.industry ,Obstetrics and Gynecology ,Hormone replacement therapy (menopause) ,Middle Aged ,Postmenopause ,Distress ,Cross-Sectional Studies ,Dyspareunia ,Treatment Outcome ,Settore MED/40 - GINECOLOGIA E OSTETRICIA ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Vagina ,Vulvovaginal atrophy ,Female ,Hormonal treatment ,Atrophy ,Symptom Assessment ,business - Abstract
To evaluate the association between treatments for vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA) and symptom frequency and severity, quality of life (QoL) and sexual functioning in postmenopausal women.Cross-sectional survey conducted in postmenopausal women aged 45-75 years. Data on demographic and clinical variables, as well as vaginal, vulvar and urinary symptoms were collected. The EuroQoL questionnaire (EQ5D3L), the Day-to-Day Impact of Vaginal Aging (DIVA), the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and the Female Sexual Distress Scale - revised (FSDS-R) were filled out.Association between treatments for VVA and symptom frequency.Women on VVA treatment presented with more severe symptoms. The sexual function score was higher in the treated women (FSFI: 15.6 vs 16.7; p = 0.010), as was the score for sexual distress (FSDS-R: 9.2 vs 12.3, p 0.0005). The systemic hormone group presented with fewer VVA symptoms, lower vaginal impact (DIVA), and better sexual function (FSFI and FSDS-R) and vaginal health. The rates of sexual distress and vulvar atrophy were higher in the non-hormonal treatment group. No significant differences were found according to treatment duration.Postmenopausal women with VVA receiving treatment complained of more severe symptoms than those untreated. Women on systemic treatment had fewer and milder VVA symptoms and presented with better vaginal and vulvar health than women on other treatments. Many women request effective local treatment too late, when VVA symptoms are already severe. Our data suggest that VVA treatments should ideally be initiated when symptoms commence and cause distress, rather than later, when symptoms may have become more severe and even a cause of intolerable distress for the woman.
- Published
- 2019