Efficacy of low-dose intravaginal estriol on urogenital aging in postmenopausal women
Dessole S, Rubattu G, Ambrosini G, Gallo O, Capobianco G, Cherchi PL,
Marci R, Cosmi E.
Menopause. 2004 Jan-Feb; 11(1): 49-56. |
To assess the efficacy and safety of intravaginal estriol administration
on urinary incontinence, urogenital atrophy, and recurrent urinary
tract infections in postmenopausal women. Design Eighty-eight
postmenopausal women with urogenital aging symptoms were enrolled
in this prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Participants
were randomly divided into two groups, with each group consisting
of 44 women. Women in the treatment group received intravaginal
estriol ovules: 1 ovule (1 mg) once daily for 2 weeks and then
2 ovules once weekly for a total of 6 months as maintenance therapy.
Women in the control group received inert placebo vaginal suppositories
in a similar regimen. We evaluated urogenital symptomatology,
urine cultures, colposcopic findings, urethral cytologic findings,
urethral pressure profiles, and urethrocystometry before as well
as after 6 months of treatment.Results : After therapy, the symptoms
and signs of urogenital atrophy significantly improved in the
treatment group in comparison with the control group. Thirty (68%)
of the treated participants, and only seven (16%) of the control
participants registered a subjective improvement of their incontinence.
In the treated participants, we observed significant improvements
of colposcopic findings, and there were statistically significant
increases in mean maximum urethral pressure, in mean urethral
closure pressure as well as in the abdominal pressure transmission
ratio to the proximal urethra. Urethrocystometry showed positive
but not statistically significant modifications. Conclusions:
Our results show that intravaginal administration of estriol may
represent a satisfactory therapeutic choice for those postmenopausal
women with urogenital tract disturbances who have contraindications
or refuse to undergo standard hormone therapy.
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