TREATMENT OF VAGINAL DRYNESS IN SJÖGREN'S DISEASE WITH CO2-LASER VERSUS TOPICAL PROMESTRIENE

Summary

Sjögren's disease (SjD) is a chronic, immune-mediated, systemic inflammatory disease characterized mainly by involvement of the salivary and lacrimal glands, causing symptoms of sicca syndrome. The disease predominantly affects women (9:1 to 20:1), with a peak incidence between 40 and 60 years of age. Symptoms of dryness include those resulting from vaginitis sicca, such as vulvovaginal irritation, dryness, pruritus, dyspareunia, polyuria, nocturia, dysuria, and urinary urgency/incontinence, which may begin before and worsen after menopause. These symptoms impact the sexual life and health-related quality of life of SjD patients. However, there are no specific recommendations for the management of vaginal dryness in this disease. Urogenital syndrome (UGS), a condition that affects women from the general population in the menopausal phase, is characterized by similar symptoms and can be treated with systemic or local hormone therapy (e.g., topical promestriene). Current data also demonstrate the efficacy and safety of vaginal fractional CO2 laser treatment for UGS. However, there are no studies on the efficacy of vaginal fractional CO2 laser and topical promestriene in the treatment of vaginal dryness in SjD.

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

* Diagnosis of SjD according to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) classification criteria (2016).
* Controlled systemic disease activity \[EULAR Sjögren's Syndrome Disease Activity Index (ESSDAI)\] \< 5 and without use of glucocorticoids or with a maximum dose of prednisone of 15 mg/day.
* Present complaints of vaginal dryness upon study entry.
* Agreeing to participate in the protocol according to the informed consent form signed before study inclusion.

Exclusion Criteria:

* History of breast, uterine or ovarian neoplasia, history of thromboembolic events, heart, kidney or liver failure.
* Other associated autoimmune rheumatic diseases, such as spondyloarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, dermatomyositis and mixed connective tissue disease.
* Conditions that may mimic SjD, such as history of head and neck radiation therapy, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, hepatitis B and C, sarcoidosis, IgG4-related disease, and graft-versus-host disease.

Conditions4

Interventions1

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