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. 2023 Sep 1;142(3):555-570.
doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000005288. Epub 2023 Aug 4.

Nonestrogen Therapies for Treatment of Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause: A Systematic Review

Elizabeth A Casiano Evans  1 , Deslyn T G Hobson, Sarit O Aschkenazi, Alexandriah N Alas, Sunil Balgobin, Ethan M Balk, Alexis A Dieter, Gregory Kanter, Francisco J Orejuela, Tatiana V D Sanses, David D Rahn
Affiliations

Nonestrogen Therapies for Treatment of Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause: A Systematic Review

Elizabeth A Casiano Evans et al. Obstet Gynecol. .

Abstract

Objective: To systematically review the literature and provide clinical practice guidelines regarding various nonestrogen therapies for treatment of genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM).

Data sources: MEDLINE, EMBASE, ClinicalTrials.gov , and Cochrane databases were searched from inception to July 2021. We included comparative and noncomparative studies. Interventions and comparators were limited to seven products that are commercially available and currently in use (vaginal dehydroepiandrosterone [DHEA], ospemifene, laser or energy-based therapies, polycarbophil-based vaginal moisturizer, Tibolone, vaginal hyaluronic acid, testosterone). Topical estrogen, placebo, other nonestrogen products, as well as no treatment were considered as comparators.

Methods of study selection: We double-screened 9,131 abstracts and identified 136 studies that met our criteria. Studies were assessed for quality and strength of evidence by the systematic review group.

Tabulation, integration, and results: Information regarding the participants, details on the intervention and comparator and outcomes were extracted from the eligible studies. Alternative therapies were similar or superior to estrogen or placebo with minimal increase in adverse events. Dose response was noted with vaginal DHEA and testosterone. Vaginal DHEA, ospemifene, erbium and fractional carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) laser, polycarbophil-based vaginal moisturizer, tibolone, hyaluronic acid, and testosterone all improved subjective and objective signs of atrophy. Vaginal DHEA, ospemifene, tibolone, fractional CO 2 laser, polycarbophil-based vaginal moisturizer, and testosterone improved sexual function.

Conclusion: Most nonestrogen therapies are effective treatments for the various symptoms of GSM. There are insufficient data to compare nonestrogen options to each other.

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Conflict of interest statement

Financial Disclosure Alexandriah Alas reports receiving payment for expert testimony. Ethan Balk reports receiving funding from SGS for methodology consultation. Alexis A. Dieter reports that she received payment as an expert witness and research grants were paid to her institution. David R. Rahn received the grant support from the National Institutes of Health R01 AG047290; Bridge Award from American Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Foundation and American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology; and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. He also received an investigator-initiated award from Pfizer for provision of study drug (Premarin vaginal cream). The other authors did not report any potential conflicts of interest.

References

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