OBJECTIVE: There is no agreed upon standard way to measure vulvar lichen sclerosus disease severity. The Female Genital Self-Image Scale (FGSIS) is a validated survey tool assessing female genital self-image and is positively correlated with women's sexual function. A lower score represents a negative genital self-image. We evaluated the FGSIS in women with vulvar lichen sclerosus. METHODS: Women with biopsy-proven lichen sclerosus and women presenting for routine gynecologic care without lichen sclerosus matched by age were surveyed with the 7-item FGSIS. National surveys of healthy women in the United States have shown the mean 7-item FGSIS score is 21. To detect one standard deviation (20% absolute difference) between groups with a power of 80% at p < .05, 15 women would are needed in each group. RESULTS: Sixteen women with lichen sclerosus and 16 matched controls were surveyed between February and July 2018. The mean ± SD age of women with lichen sclerosus was 56.8 ± 13.5 years, 94% were white, 69% married, 81% college educated, 69% postmenopausal, and 18% on hormone replacement therapy. None of these differences were statistically different from control women. Women with vulvar lichen sclerosus had a significantly lower median 7-item FGSIS when compared with control subjects, 18 (interquartile range = 16-21) versus 25 (interquartile range = 23-27), respectively, Mann-Whitney U test, p < .001. CONCLUSIONS: Women with vulvar lichen sclerosus have a lower score on the 7-item Female Genital Self-Image Scale compared with healthy controls.
OBJECTIVE: There is no agreed upon standard way to measure vulvar lichen sclerosus disease severity. The Female Genital Self-Image Scale (FGSIS) is a validated survey tool assessing female genital self-image and is positively correlated with women's sexual function. A lower score represents a negative genital self-image. We evaluated the FGSIS in women with vulvar lichen sclerosus. METHODS:Women with biopsy-proven lichen sclerosus and women presenting for routine gynecologic care without lichen sclerosus matched by age were surveyed with the 7-item FGSIS. National surveys of healthy women in the United States have shown the mean 7-item FGSIS score is 21. To detect one standard deviation (20% absolute difference) between groups with a power of 80% at p < .05, 15 women would are needed in each group. RESULTS: Sixteen women with lichen sclerosus and 16 matched controls were surveyed between February and July 2018. The mean ± SD age of women with lichen sclerosus was 56.8 ± 13.5 years, 94% were white, 69% married, 81% college educated, 69% postmenopausal, and 18% on hormone replacement therapy. None of these differences were statistically different from control women. Women with vulvar lichen sclerosus had a significantly lower median 7-item FGSIS when compared with control subjects, 18 (interquartile range = 16-21) versus 25 (interquartile range = 23-27), respectively, Mann-Whitney U test, p < .001. CONCLUSIONS:Women with vulvar lichen sclerosus have a lower score on the 7-item Female Genital Self-Image Scale compared with healthy controls.