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INTRODUCTION: Osteoporosis is a chronic systemic skeletal disorder characterized by compromised bone strength and an increased risk of fracture, with a high prevalence worldwide. It is associated with a negative quality of life and an increased morbidity and mortality. Postmenopausal women are more prone to develop osteoporosis, and many of them will suffer at least one fragility fracture along their lifetime. AREAS COVERED: This review starts by summarizing the pathogenesis of postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMO), with focus on the estrogen deficiency-associated bone loss. It continues with the current PMO diagnostic and fracture risk prediction tools, and it finally addresses management of PMO. All the efficacy and safety profiles of the current and future osteoporosis medications are reviewed. Furthermore, strategies to optimize the long-term disease management are discussed. For this review, only publications in English language were selected. References were extracted from PubMed, Embase, and Medline. EXPERT OPINION: PMO disease management is far from being ideal. Educational and communication programs with the goal of improving disease knowledge and awareness, as well as reducing the health-care gap, should be implemented. In addition, most effective sequential prevention and treatment strategies should be initiated from the early menopause.
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This brief report evaluates the early effect of ultra-low dose 0.005% oestriol vaginal gel on dyspareunia in postmenopausal women within the first 2 weeks of treatment. This was a prospective and multicentre single-arm pilot study and the effect of the treatment on dyspareunia was evaluated by using a diary. In total 23 women and 150 coitus were studied. 8 coitus were painless in the first week and 42 during the second week (p < .0001). A reduction in pain from the baseline was seen in 116 (77.3%) out of the 150 coitus. 0.005% oestriol vaginal gel produced a rapid and progressive improvement in dyspareunia from the very first days of treatment in postmenopausal women.IMPACT STATEMENTWhat is already known on this subject? Local oestrogen therapy has shown efficacy in the treatment of genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) and dyspareunia when used for a duration of greater than 3 weeks.What do the results of this study add? This study shows that the use of oestriol gel produces clinical effects from the beginning of its use, decreasing dyspareunia in postmenopausal women within just 14 days of daily use.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? In cases of dyspareunia in relation to menopause, therapy with local oestrogens, in our case oestriol gel, produces an improvement from the beginning of its use. This information is clinically relevant when evaluating therapeutic options.
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Dispareunia , Enfermedades Vaginales , Femenino , Humanos , Dispareunia/tratamiento farmacológico , Dispareunia/etiología , Posmenopausia , Proyectos Piloto , Enfermedades Vaginales/terapia , Vagina , Estudios Prospectivos , Cremas, Espumas y Geles Vaginales , EstriolRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of Papilocare, a Coriolus versicolor-based vaginal gel, in repairing human papillomavirus (HPV)-related low-grade cervical lesions. METHODS: The study is a multicenter, open-label, randomized, parallel-group, watchful waiting approach-controlled trial involving 91 HPV-positive women with low-grade Pap smear alterations and consistent colposcopy. RESULTS: The percentage of patients with normal Pap smear and concordant colposcopy 3 and 6 months after receiving treatment (78.0% and 84.9%) was significantly higher than without treatment (54.8% and 64.5%), especially in high-risk HPV patients (79.5% and 87.8% vs 52.0% and 56.0%). At 6-month visit, overall HPV clearance was achieved by a greater number of patients receiving treatment (59.6%) compared with those without treatment (41.9%), especially high-risk HPV ones (62.5% vs 40.0%). The cervical re-epithelization score was significantly higher with treatment (mean = 4.5) than without (mean = 4.1). Compared with baseline, perceived stress decreased in the treatment group (from 21.1 to 19.0) and increased in the control group (from 17.7 to 20.7). A total of 7 possible or probable treatment-related adverse events were reported, most of them (n = 6) being mild or moderate in severity. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with Papilocare has demonstrated a better clinical benefit than the conventional watchful waiting approach in clinical practice for total and high-risk HPV patients in terms of its efficacy to treat HPV-related cervical lesions and to clear all HPV strains after a single 6-month period. It has demonstrated an adequate safety and tolerability and confers additional benefits such as higher re-epithelization, stress reduction, and high treatment adherence.
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Papillomaviridae/efectos de los fármacos , Infecciones por Papillomavirus/tratamiento farmacológico , Polyporaceae , Displasia del Cuello del Útero/tratamiento farmacológico , Displasia del Cuello del Útero/virología , Neoplasias del Cuello Uterino/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias del Cuello Uterino/virología , Cremas, Espumas y Geles Vaginales/farmacología , Adulto , Femenino , Humanos , Persona de Mediana Edad , España , Resultado del Tratamiento , Neoplasias del Cuello Uterino/patología , Adulto Joven , Displasia del Cuello del Útero/patologíaRESUMEN
El síndrome genitourinario de la menopausia (SGM) se definió para sustituir al término "atrofia vulvovaginal" como el conjunto de signos y síntomas genitourinarios asociados a la disminución de estrógenos. La primera línea de tratamiento para las manifestaciones vaginales del SGM son los hidratantes (evidencia IA) y lubricantes vaginales (evidencia IIB). Cuando estas medidas no son suficientes, o en casos moderados o intensos, el tratamiento de elección son los estrógenos locales (evidencia IA). Si coexisten síntomas vasomotores que afectan la calidad de vida, la indicación es el tratamiento hormonal sistémico (evidencia IA). Actualmente, se dispone de ospemifeno (evidencia IA), un modulador selectivo de los receptores vaginales de estrógenos (SERM), aprobado en Europa para el tratamiento de los síntomas moderados o graves en mujeres postmenopáusicas que no cumplen los requisitos para recibir estrógenos vaginales. Otros posibles tratamientos del SGM son el láser y la radiofrecuencia. No hay evidencia para indicar el uso de terapias alternativas y complementarias
Genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) was defined to substitute the term "vaginal atrophy" as the signs and symptoms related to reduced circulating oestrogen levels. Vaginal moisturizers (evidence IA) and vaginal lubricants (evidence IIB) are the first-line treatments. If these measures are unsatisfactory, the choice treatment is local oestrogen therapy (evidence IA). In patients with vasomotor symptoms that impair quality of life, systemic hormone replacement therapy (evidence IA) is administered. Currently, a new therapy is available: ospemifene, a selective oestrogen receptor modulator that acts at vaginal level. It is approved in Europe for the treatment of moderate to severe symptoms in postmenopausal women who are not candidate to local oestrogen therapy. Ospemifene improves vaginal histology and physiology, and it has been safe and well tolerated both in clinical trials and in post-marketing surveillance studies. Other therapies for GSM are laser therapy and radiofrequency. Alternative therapies are not recommended
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Humanos , Femenino , Vaginitis Atrófica/prevención & control , Lubricantes/uso terapéutico , Estrógenos/administración & dosificación , Agentes Mojantes/administración & dosificación , Menopausia , Enfermedades Urogenitales Femeninas/prevención & control , Pautas de la Práctica en Medicina , Terapia de Reemplazo de EstrógenoRESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of menopausal women with confirmed vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA) oscillates between 67-98%. AIM: To assess the prevalence of postmenopausal women with VVA confirmed by gynecologic clinical assessment among all women attending menopause centers in Spain, as well as to describe the impact of VVA on quality of life and sexual functioning. METHODS: Women aged 45-75 years old with the last menstrual period >12 months before were included in a cross-sectional study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Women with ≥1 VVA symptoms filled out a number of questionnaires, including EuroQoL, Day-to-Day Impact of Vaginal Aging, Female Sexual Function Index, and Female Sexual Distress Scale-revised. A gynecologic examination was performed to confirm diagnosis. RESULTS: 1,177 evaluable patients were included. VVA was confirmed in 87.3% of the patients. Almost 80% of women who acknowledged being sexually active (n = 717) presented pain during intercourse. As compared with patients without confirmed VVA (n = 66), patients with confirmed VVA (n = 1,028) were significantly older (P < .0001), had lower rates of sexual activity (P < .05), and used more VVA treatments (P < .05). Severe vaginal atrophy and severe vulvar atrophy were more prevalent in VVA-confirmed women (P < .0001, in both cases). No differences regarding the confirmation of VVA were observed for EuroQoL and Day-to-Day Impact of Vaginal Aging quality-of-life questionnaires. Sexual function measured through the Female Sexual Function Index score was significantly reduced in sexually-active patients with confirmed VVA (P < .05). CONCLUSION: VVA signs and symptoms are highly prevalent in Spanish postmenopausal women. Confirmation of VVA diagnosis was associated with impaired sexual function. The early recognition of VVA symptoms should be actively promoted in medical practice, instead of waiting until signs appear to exclude other reasons for VVA and to manage treatment effectively. Palacios S, González SP, Fernández-Abellán M, et al. Impact of Vulvovaginal Atrophy of Menopause in Spanish Women: Prevalence and Symptoms According to the EVES Study. Sex Med 2019;7:207-216.
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BACKGROUND: Epidemiological data regarding vaginal pH in Spain are scarce. An epidemiological study was therefore undertaken to confirm the physiological pattern of vaginal pH in Spanish women. The primary outcome measure was vaginal pH. Secondary outcomes included the relationship between vaginal pH and BMI, physical activity, working status, contraceptive use, sexual intercourse in the two days prior to the visit and clinical vaginal symptoms. METHODS: Cross-sectional study in which 2136 healthy women over 18 years of age who requested a check-up were recruited. Vaginal pH was determined using specific for pH testing. Results were compared using Spearman's correlation test and ANOVA. RESULTS: The mean vaginal pH observed in the different age groups was 4.82 in women aged under 30, 5.10 in those aged between 30 and 35, 5.11 in those aged 36 to 40, and 6.48 in those aged over 55. No association was found between vaginal pH and BMI or sexual intercourse in the two previous days. Lower vaginal pH values were observed in women with some degree of physical activity and in contraceptive users, with higher vaginal pH values observed in women who presented clinical symptoms (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms the physiological patterns of vaginal pH changes in Spanish women. Any degree of physical activity and the use of contraceptives were associated with lower pH values. The presence of vulvo-vaginal symptoms was related with higher vaginal pH values. Vaginal pH is a marker of vaginal health.