Treatment of chronic cystitis in postmenopausal women

Abstract

A randomized double blind controlled trial of intravaginal cream ovestin (estriol) was conducted in 102 postmenopausal females with chronic cystitis. The patients were divided into two groups. Group 1 (n = 52) received standard therapy, group 2 (n = 50) received standard therapy plus ovestin (daily intravaginal administration for 2 weeks, then twice a week). Final results were evaluated 1 year after therapy. Before the treatment 94% patients had subnormal levels of blood estradiol. One year after the treatment positive results were achieved in 91.3% patients of group 2 and 65.8% of group 1 (p < 0.001). In group 2 patients ovestin significantly reduced pollakiuria, nocturia, episodes of urgent urinary incontinence, painful voiding. Percentage of patients with leukocyturia diminished from 100 to 8%, bacteriuria - from 74 to 4%, with vaginal lactobacilli increased from 0 to 56%, enterobacterial contamination of the vagina fell from 66 to 12%. Vaginal pH decreased from 6.0 to 3.6. Addition of ovestin to standard therapy reduced the number of cystitis recurrences 11-fold, days of antibacterial therapy - 12.4-fold. Side effects of ovestin (vaginal pruritus) were seen in 4% patients.