A comparative study of the effects of local estrogen with or without local testosterone on vulvovaginal and sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women.
BACKGROUND
A significant number of postmenopausal women suffer from distressing problems because of urogenital atrophy secondary to the decline in circulating estrogen levels. Treatment with topical hormones may provide relief in such women when used judiciously.


OBJECTIVE
To study the effects of local estrogen with or without local testosterone on urogenital and sexual health in postmenopausal women.


METHODS
Seventy-five postmenopausal women symptomatic for urogenital atrophy and sexual dysfunction were randomly divided into two study groups and one control group. The women in study group 1 received local estrogen cream; study group 2 received local estrogen and testosterone cream; the control group received nonhormonal lubricant KY gel for 12 weeks. The urogenital and sexuality score, along with the vaginal health index and the vaginal maturation index (VMI), was calculated at the beginning of therapy and 12 weeks later.


METHODS
Changes in the urogenital and sexuality score along with vaginal health index and VMI.


RESULTS
After 12 weeks of therapy, there was a significant improvement in all the four study parameters, which correlated well with the improvement in symptoms of urogenital atrophy and sexual dysfunction in both the study groups as compared with the control group. Improvement in sexuality score was greatest with combined estrogen-androgen therapy. There were no adverse effects and the therapies were well accepted without any compliance issue.


CONCLUSIONS
Local estrogen either alone or with androgen is highly effective in relieving symptoms of urogenital atrophy and in improving sexual function in symptomatic postmenopausal women.
Raghunandan
Chitra
C
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Lady Hardinge Medical College and Smt Sucheta Kriplani Hospital, New Delhi, India.
Agrawal
Swati
S
Dubey
Priyanka
P
Choudhury
Monisha
M
Jain
Anju
A
D004967:Estrogens / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000502:physiology*; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014623:Vaginal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*
D004967:Estrogens; D013739:Testosterone