Symptom severity and quality of life in the management of vulvovaginal atrophy in postmenopausal women

Risultato della ricerca: Contributo in rivistaArticolo in rivista

Abstract

Objectives: 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.Study design: 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.Main outcome measures: Association between treatments for VVA and symptom frequency.Results: 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.Conclusions: 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.
Lingua originaleEnglish
pagine (da-a)55-61
Numero di pagine7
RivistaMaturitas
Volume124
DOI
Stato di pubblicazionePubblicato - 2019

Keywords

  • Hormonal treatment
  • Non-hormonal treatment
  • Vulvovaginal atrophy
  • Quality of life
  • Sexual function
  • Postmenopause

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