| Literature DB >> 29678557 |
Sue W Goldstein1, Ashley G Winter2, Irwin Goldstein3.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Ospemifene, an oral selective estrogen receptor modulator approved for the treatment of mild to moderate dyspareunia from menopause, has been shown to moderate sexual pain and vaginal epithelial cell characteristics. However, no prospective vulvoscopic studies have been performed. AIM: To examine, in menopausal women taking ospemifene 60 mg daily, changes to the vulva, vestibule, urethral meatus, and vaginal region over 20 weeks using vulvoscopy in a prospective open-label pilot study.Entities:
Keywords: Dyspareunia; Ospemifene; Urethral meatus; Vestibule; Vulva; Vulvoscopy
Year: 2018 PMID: 29678557 PMCID: PMC5960031 DOI: 10.1016/j.esxm.2018.03.002
Source DB: PubMed Journal: Sex Med ISSN: 2050-1161 Impact factor: 2.491
Inclusion and exclusion criteria
| Inclusion criteria | Exclusion criteria |
|---|---|
| Written informed consent | Hypersensitivity to ingredients |
| Female | Previously used ospemifene |
| Age 21–80 y | Suspected breast cancer, history of heart attack or stroke |
| BMI < 37 kg/m2 | Clinically significant findings at physical examination |
| Menopausal | Uncontrolled hypertension |
| Has moderate to severe dyspareunia | Chronic medical condition or psychologic disorder |
| Has moderate to severe pain at cotton-tipped swab testing | Using local or systemic androgen therapy |
| Agrees to comply with study procedures | Using local or systemic estrogen therapy |
| Using a SERM | |
| Using itraconazole, ketoconazole, digitalis, alkaloids heparin, strong cytochrome P450 3A4 inhibitors | |
| History of substance abuse | |
| Received investigational drug within 30 d | |
| Behavior indicating unlikely to be compliant |
BMI = body mass index; SERM = selective estrogen receptor modulator.
Vulvoscopic Genital Tissue Appearance Scale
| Component | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labia majora | Normal | Mild loss | Moderate loss | Severe to total loss |
| Labia minora | Normal | Mild loss | Moderate loss | Severe to total loss |
| Clitoris | Normal | Mild decrease in size | Moderate decrease in size | Severe decrease in size or phimosis |
| Urethral meatus | Normal | Mild prominence | Moderate prominence | Severe prominence or large relative to introitus |
| Introitus | Normal | Mild stenosis | Moderate stenosis | Severe stenosis |
| Color | Normal | Mild pallor | Moderate pallor | Severe pallor |
| Erythema | Normal | Mild | Moderate | Severe |
| Moisture | Normal | Mild loss | Moderate loss | None |
| Vaginal rugae | Normal | Mild loss | Moderate loss | Severe loss |
| Anterior vaginal wall prominence | Normal | Mild loss | Moderate loss | Severe loss |
Figure 1Schematic showing study protocol, including duration of treatment with ospemifene and number of vulvoscopic photographs examined.
Baseline patient characteristics
| Age (y), mean (SD) | 59 (4.7) |
| BMI (kg/m2), mean (SD) | 26.8 (5.37) |
| Race, n (%) | |
| White | 6 (75) |
| Black | 2 (25) |
| Years since menopause, mean (SD) | 10.8 (6.5) |
| Estradiol (pg/mL), mean (SD) | 18.9 (13.2) |
| FSH (mIU/mL), mean (SD) | 79 (26.9) |
| LH (mIU/mL), mean (SD) | 33.2 (14.4) |
BMI = body mass index; FSH = follicle-stimulating hormone; LH = luteinizing hormone.
Vulvoscopic photo scoring of vulva, vestibule, and vagina in women before and at completion of 20 weeks therapy with ospemifene 60 mg/d
| Parameter | Week 0, median (IQR) | Week 20, median (IQR) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loss of labia majora | 0 (0–0) | 0 (0–0) | .32 |
| Loss of labia minora | 1 (1–1.5) | 1 (1–1) | .16 |
| Decreased size of glans clitoris | 1 (1–2) | 1 (1–1.5) | .32 |
| Prominence of urethral meatus | 2 (2–2) | 1 (1–1.5) | .025 |
| Stenosis of introitus | 2 (2–2.5) | 1 (1–1.5) | .0102 |
| Vestibular pallor | 2 (2–2) | 1 (1–1) | .0067 |
| Vestibular erythema | 2 (2–2) | 1 (0.5–1) | .0083 |
| Loss of vestibular moisture | 2.5 (2–3) | 1 (1–1) | .0124 |
| Loss of vaginal rugae | 2 (1.5–2) | 1 (1–1.5) | .047 |
| Loss of prominence of the anterior vaginal wall | 2 (1.5–2) | 1 (1–1) | .027 |
| Total score | 17.5 (16–18.5) | 9.5 (8–11.5) | .0115 |
IQR = interquartile range.
Figure 2Vulvoscopic photographs representing parameters in the Vulvoscopic Genital Tissue Appearance Scale that showed significant improvement from baseline (top row) to end of study (bottom row). Photographs from various subjects are representative of the study population. Note significant changes in some tissues, such as the urethral meatus, vestibule, and anterior vaginal wall, that are androgenic.
Figure 3Vulvoscopic photographs from subject 004. Vulvoscopic photographs were taken in order. Panels a to d show baseline evaluations at 1:00, 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00 o’clock, respectively. Panels e to h show end-of-study evaluations at 1:00, 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00 o’clock, respectively. These images show improvement in the Vulvoscopic Genital Tissue Appearance Scale for urethral meatal prominence, introital stenosis, vestibular pallor, vestibular erythema, and vestibular moisture.
Figure 4Graph shows significant improvement in total score of cotton-tipped swab (Q-tip) testing over time for each subject in the study.
Subject diary responses showing changes in sexual function, lubrication, and pain in women undergoing 20 weeks of therapy with ospemifene 60 mg/d
| Diary metric | Week 0 | Week 20 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diary events, n | Median (IQR) | Diary events, n | Median (IQR) | ||
| Sexual events (n) | 8 | 4.5 (2.5–7.5) | 8 | 7 (5–10) | .075 |
| Events less dry than before (%) | 8 | 20 (0–82) | 8 | 100 (75–100) | .019 |
| Events using lubricant (%) | 8 | 85 (50–100) | 8 | 50 (16.5–91.5) | .095 |
| Events pain with foreplay (%) | 8 | 41.5 (0–70) | 8 | 0 (0–0) | .0293 |
| Events pain during masturbation (%) | 1 | 0 (0–0) | 2 | 0 (0–0) | — |
| Events with pain during oral sex (%) | 5 | 0 (0–0) | 6 | 0 (0–0) | .32 |
| Events with pain during intercourse (%) | 8 | 80 (20–100) | 8 | 0 (0–0) | .0186 |
| Events stopped early due to pain (%) | 8 | 0 (0–17.5) | 8 | 0 (0–0) | .085 |
IQR = interquartile range.