title: Intravaginally applied oxytocin improves post-menopausal vaginal atrophy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the efficacy of local oxytocin for the treatment of post-menopausal vaginal atrophy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Double-blinded randomised controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Healthy post-menopausal women in Stockholm, Sweden.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty four post-menopausal women between February and June 2012 at the Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge/Sweden.
  
  
  METHODS
  The efficacy of oxytocin for treatment of vaginal atrophy after seven weeks and cytological evaluation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percentage of superficial cells in the vaginal smears and the maturation values were significantly increased after seven weeks of treatment with vagitocin 400 IU (p = 0.0288 and p = 0.0002, respectively). The vaginal pH decreased significantly after seven weeks of treatment with vagitocin 100 IU (p = 0.02). The scores of vaginal atrophy, according to the histological evaluation, were significantly reduced after administration of vagitocin 100 IU (p = 0.03). The thickness of the endometrium did not differ between the treatment and placebo groups after seven weeks of treatment. The symptom experienced as the most bothersome was significantly reduced after seven weeks of treatment in the women receiving vagitocin 400 IU compared to women in the placebo group (p = 0.0089).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment with intravaginally applied oxytocin could be an alternative to local estrogen treatment in women with post-menopausal vaginal atrophy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden shahla.al-saqi@karolinska.se.
authors.forename: Shahla H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Al-Saqi
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Environment and Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skara, Sweden School of Life Science, University of Skövde, Skövde, Sweden.
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uvnäs-Moberg
authors.affiliation: Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Aino F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Jonasson
mesh_terms: D000282:Administration, Intravaginal; D000368:Aged; D001284:Atrophy / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004414:Dyspareunia / Q000209:etiology; D004717:Endometrium / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008875:Middle Aged; D010120:Oxytocics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D063868:Patient Outcome Assessment; D017698:Postmenopause; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014621:Vagina / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D014622:Vaginal Creams, Foams, and Jellies; D014623:Vaginal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears
chemical_list: D010120:Oxytocics; D014622:Vaginal Creams, Foams, and Jellies; D010121:Oxytocin
keywords: Estrogen; oxytocin; post-menopausal; vaginal atrophy; vagitocin