Examining Effects of Intrarosa in Women With Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause/Vulvovaginal Atrophy

Overview

Tissues of the genitals of women are both androgen (testosterone) and estrogen dependent. The clitoris, vestibule, urethra, anterior vaginal wall, peri-urethral tissue, and pelvic floor all depend on androgens for normal function. In addition, the glands, which secrete lubrication during sexual arousal, also require androgens to function. Deficiencies of both estrogens and androgens occur naturally during menopause. Menopause-related deficiencies of these hormones lead to thinning in the tissues of the genital and urinary systems which have been termed Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM). Patients with GSM will frequently complain of dryness and/or pain during sexual intercourse. Historically, GSM treatment involved both androgens and estrogens, However, over the past few decades estrogen based therapies have become much more common. More recently, clinical trials have demonstrated that local vaginal dehydroepiandrosterone (Intrarosa®) improves symptoms in menopausal women who have moderate to severe pain with intercourse. Intrarosa® vaginal inserts are a prescription medicine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) used in women after menopause to treat moderate to severe pain during sexual intercourse caused by changes in and around the vagina that happen with menopause.

Tissues in the genitourinary system are both androgen- and estrogen-dependent. The clitoris, vestibule, urethra, anterior vaginal wall, peri-urethral tissue, and pelvic floor are androgen-responsive. In addition, the minor vestibular glands and the major vestibular glands (Bartholin's and Skene's) are androgen-dependent, mucin-secreting glands. Deficiencies of both estrogens and androgens can occur both naturally during menopause or iatrogenically because of certain medications (e.g. Depo Lupron, spironolactone) or surgically (oophorectomy). Menopause-related deficiencies of these sex hormones lead to atrophic changes in the genitourinary system which have been termed genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM). While erythema is a nonspecific finding in atrophic tissue, focal painful erythema in the androgen-dependent vestibule, particularly near the ostia of the Bartholin's glands (4:00 and 8:00 o'clock) and Skene's glands (1:00 and 11:00 o'clock) or lesser vestibular glands, is highly suggestive of GSM. Patients with GSM will frequently complain of penetrative dyspareunia and experience allodynia with the cotton swab palpation of the vulvar vestibule. During examination of the vulvar vestibule, the examiner might note general pallor with superimposed erythema. Physical exam can be improved by magnification (i.e. vulvoscopy). Historically, GSM treatment involved both androgens and estrogens. However, in the absence of information about intracrinology, over the past few decades, estradiol-based therapies have been used exclusively. More recently, double-blind, placebo controlled clinical trials demonstrated that local vaginal dehydroepiandrosterone (Intrarosa®) improves symptoms in postmenopausal women including moderate to severe dyspareunia. These trials have demonstrated improvement in both subjective measures (such as improvement in dyspareunia) as well as objective measurement of vaginal health (improved vaginal maturation index, decreased vaginal pH) but they have not attempted to demonstrate improvement in the health of the vulvar tissue.