To quantitate the changes in stress urinary incontinence (SUI) outcome measures after 12 weeks of vaginal estriol cream in women with stress incontinence.
A prospective multicentre observational study conducted in tertiary urogynaecology centers. Postmenopausal women with pure SUI or stress predominant mixed urinary incontinence (MUI), not receiving any other treatment for their incontinence were given written instructions regarding digital application of a standard dose of vaginal estriol cream. Outcomes were measured at baseline and 12 weeks. The primary objective outcome was vaginal pH. The primary subjective outcome was the stress domain of the Urogenital Distress Inventory-6 (UDI-6). The secondary objective outcome used was the erect cough stress test. Two quality of life questionnaires and two patient reported outcomes were also included.
The 46 postmenopausal recruits had a median age of 62.1 interquartile range (IQR 56.2-65.4). At follow up, the primary subjective outcome SUI domain [UDI-6] significantly improved from 83.3 (IQR 50-100) to 33.3 (33.3-66.7, p ≤ 0.001) as did vaginal pH [from 5.1 (4.9-5.9) to 4.9 (4.6-5.0] p ≤ 0.001; 18/43 patients (42%) were dry on cough stress test.
Twelve weeks of vaginal estriol cream significantly reduced symptoms of stress urinary incontinence in this sample of postmenopausal women.
Neurourology and urodynamics. 2023 Feb 25 [Epub ahead of print]
Nevine I D Te West, Katie Harris, Steven Jeffrey, Iris de Nie, Katrina Parkin, Jan-Paul Roovers, Kate H Moore
Department of Urogynaecology, St George Hospital, School of Women's and Children's Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia., The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia., Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa., Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.