Efficacy of Vitamin D on Vulvovaginal Atrophy in Menopausal Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial
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Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of oral vitamin D supplementation in improving vulvovaginal atrophy in postmenopausal women over a 12-week period.
Methods: A double-blind randomized controlled trial involved 48 postmenopausal women with vulvovaginal atrophy. Participants were assigned to receive either 60000 IU ergocalciferol weekly or placebo. Blinding was applied to both participants and healthcare providers. The primary outcome was vaginal maturation value (VMV) at 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes included, VMV at 6 weeks, vaginal atrophy symptoms (VAS), modified vaginal health index (mVHI), vaginal atrophy score (VVA), vitamin D levels, and vaginal pH at 6 and 12 weeks.
Results: Baseline characteristics were not statistically significant between the two groups. In the intention-to-treat analysis, at 12 weeks after treatment, the vitamin D group exhibited significantly higher VMV compared with placebo (47.8 ± 25.24 and 27.4 ± 29.31, p-value = 0.027) and increased superficial cell count (p-value = 0.036). Furthermore, significant improvements in Vaginal Health Index were observed in the vitamin D group at 6 and 12 weeks after treatment (at 12 weeks, p-value = <0.001).
Conclusion: Vitamin D demonstrates superior efficacy over placebo in treating vulvovaginal atrophy in postmenopausal women. Those administered with vitamin D exhibited statistically significant enhancements in Vaginal Health Index, including increased VMV, mVHI, and Vitamin D levels, alongside decreased VAS, VVA, and vaginal pH. Therefore, vitamin D may be considered as an alternative treatment option for menopausal women with vulvovaginal atrophy, particularly in those with contraindications to hormone replacement therapy, vitamin D insufficiency, and vitamin D deficiency.
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