Background: Vestibulodynia is a highly prevalent chronic pain disorder affecting the vulva having a major impact on women's physical, psychological, and sexual well-being. It remains an underrecognized disease that responds insufficiently to therapies such as physiotherapy and medication.
Aim: To assess the global efficacy of first-line therapies and factors associated with treatment escalation in women with vestibulodynia.
Patients And Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted at the dermatology outpatient clinic of the University Hospital in Besancon (France) between 2013 and 2017 and follow-up until 2021.
Results: Among 132 patients, the mean [standard deviation] age at diagnosis was 27.2 [±9.45] years, with an average duration of symptoms of 42.3 [±37.92] months. Most cases comprised provoked (75.0%) or secondary (72.7%) vestibulodynia. At least one comorbid pain or psychologic condition was identified respectively in 63 (47.7%) and 23 patients (54.5%). Vulvar hyperesthesia associated with pelvic floor muscle dysfunction was present in 121 patients (91.6%) and vulvar erethism was noted in 94 patients (71.2%). First-line treatments consisted of pelvic floor physiotherapy with biofeedback in 85% of patients, associated with amitriptyline in 36% of cases, and of additional lidocaine cream in 17%. Fifty-two patients (39%) presented at least a good response to first-line treatment, with only 21 (15%) being in complete remission, irrespective of therapeutic strategy (p = 0.25). Botulinum toxin injections were performed in 54 patients. Patients with either primary vestibulodynia (p = 0.04) or spontaneous vestibulodynia (p = 0.03) were more likely to receive this treatment.
Conclusion: Our study highlights the current lack of efficacy of first-line treatments in vestibulodynia. Considering the high prevalence of muscular dysfunction, botulinum toxin injections are of particular interest despite a lack of randomized controlled trials in this indication.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.annder.2024.103277 | DOI Listing |
Metab Brain Dis
January 2025
Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, Denmark.
Background & Aims: Hepatic encephalopathy (HE), one of the most serious prognostic factors for mortality in alcohol-related cirrhosis (ALD cirrhosis), is not recorded in Danish healthcare registries. However, treatment of HE with lactulose, the universal first-line treatment, can be identified through data on filled prescriptions. This study aimed to investigate if lactulose can be used as a surrogate marker of HE.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArch Dermatol Res
January 2025
Department of Dermatology and Venereal Diseases, Dr. Lütfi Kırdar City Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Vulvar lichen planus (VLP) is a rare mucocutaneous disorder with significant impacts on quality of life and a potential risk of malignancy. Comprehensive data on its clinical features and treatment outcomes remain limited. To analyze the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients diagnosed with VLP and to evaluate the efficacy of current therapeutic approaches.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCancer Chemother Pharmacol
January 2025
Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
Purpose: Patients with partial or complete DPD deficiency have decreased capacity to degrade fluorouracil and are at risk of developing toxicity, which can be even life-threatening.
Case: A 43-year-old man with moderately differentiated rectal adenocarcinoma on capecitabine presented to the emergency department with complaints of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, and lower abdominal pain for several days. Laboratory findings include grade 4 neutropenia (ANC 10) and thrombocytopenia (platelets 36,000).
Cancer Commun (Lond)
January 2025
Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, P. R. China.
Background: The standard first-line treatment for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive recurrent/metastatic breast cancer currently includes pertuzumab plus trastuzumab and docetaxel. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of KN026, an anti-HER2 bispecific antibody, plus docetaxel in first-line treatment of HER2-positive recurrent/metastatic breast cancer.
Methods: This open-label, single-arm, phase II study enrolled patients with HER2-positive recurrent/metastatic breast cancer in 19 centers across China from December 30, 2019 to May 27, 2021.
Jpn J Clin Oncol
January 2025
Department of Thoracic Oncology, Kansai Medical University, 2-3-1 Shinmachi, Hirakata city, Osaka 573-1191, Japan.
Background: Pre-cancer onset of cachexia raises uncertainties regarding the optimal timing for early intervention in lung cancer patients. We aimed to examine changes in physical function, nutritional status, and cachexia incidence in patients with lung cancer from the initial visit to treatment initiation and determine the effect of these changes on lung cancer treatment.
Methods: This single-center retrospective cohort study enrolled patients suspected of having advanced lung cancer who visited Kansai Medical University Hospital between January and February 2023 and were definitely diagnosed with the disease.
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