Vulvodynia and HIV: causal or casual association?
BACKGROUND
No study exists on HIV and vulvodynia.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate vulvodynia in HIV infected women and its possible association with HIV.


METHODS
Cross sectional study.


METHODS
Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Section of Infectious Diseases, University of Turin.


METHODS
235 HIV positive and 272 HIV negative women were studied for vulvar pain between June 1995 and January 1997. Diagnosis of vulvodynia was based on clinical history, dermatological and vulvovaginal examination, and bacteriology. Colposcopy and vulvar biopsy were performed and psychometric examination was done.


RESULTS
Vulvodynia was diagnosed in five women with HIV and in one uninfected woman (odds ratio = 2.5; 95% confidence interval: 0.1-62.6). High neuroticism scores were observed in women with history of vulvar pain, the highest in HIV infected vulvodynia patients (p = 0.000).


CONCLUSIONS
Confirming the association of gynaecological pain with neurotic personality, our study suggests causal link between HIV and vulvodynia.
Raiteri
R
R
Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Turin, Italy.
Sinicco
A
A
Pippione
M
M
Tomasini
C
C
Solaroli
C
C
Vitale
L
L
Morticelli
L
L
Gioannini
P
P
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology; D004414:Dyspareunia / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D059408:Pain Management; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000523:psychology; D014845:Vulvar Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy