Role of topical oxytocin in improving vaginal atrophy in postmenopausal women: a randomized, controlled trial

• Published in: Climacteric : the journal of the International Menopause Society Vol. 21; no. 2; pp. 174 - 178
• Main Authors: Torky, H. A., Taha, A., Marie, H., El-Desouky, E., Raslan, O., Moussa, A. A., Ahmad, A. M., Abo-Louz, A., Zaki, S., Fares, T., Eesa, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis 01.04.2018
• Subjects: Administration, Intravaginal; Atrophy; Dyspareunia; Egypt; Epithelium - pathology; Estradiol - blood; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Oxytocics - blood; Oxytocics - therapeutic use; Oxytocin - blood; Oxytocin - therapeutic use; oxytocin gel; Postmenopause; Prospective Studies; Single-Blind Method; treatment; Vagina - pathology; vaginal atrophy; Vaginal Diseases - drug therapy; Vaginal Diseases - pathology; Egypt; Postmenopause; treatment; oxytocin gel; vaginal atrophy
• ISSN: 1369-7137; 1473-0804; 1473-0804
• DOI: 10.1080/13697137.2017.1421924

Objective and design: Prospective randomized controlled trial to test the effectiveness of topical oxytocin gel to improve vaginal atrophy in postmenopausal women. Patients and methods: A total of 140 postmenopausal women presenting with vaginal atrophy and who satisfied the inclusion and exclusion criteria were randomized into two groups each of 70 patients; they received intravaginal oxytocin gel or placebo gel for 30 days. Serum estrogen level, visual, colposcopic and histological vaginal examination were performed before and after treatment. Results: Forty-seven out of 70 women in the oxytocin gel group improved after treatment and none in the placebo group (p = 0.001). Forty-five participants in the oxytocin group and seven in the placebo group reported relief of dyspareunia (p = 0.001). Thirty-four participants in the oxytocin group and seven in the placebo group reported relief of soreness (p = 0.001). There was no significant difference between the circulating levels of estradiol in both groups before and after treatment (p = 0.4 and 0.6 for the oxytocin group and the placebo group, respectively). Conclusion: Oxytocin gel is useful in the restoration of the vaginal epithelium in cases of postmenopausal atrophic vaginitis. Further studies with a longer follow-up period are required to test the long-term effects of oxytocin as a treatment for vaginal atrophy.