The effect of hydroxyquinolone-based gel on pessary-associated bacterial vaginosis: a multicenter randomized controlled trial. Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • Pessaries are important options for women with pelvic floor disorders, but many pessary users experience bacterial vaginosis (BV). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of TrimoSan© gel on BV prevalence among pessary users.Women presenting for a pessary fitting completed questionnaires on vaginal symptoms and hormone therapy (HT) use and underwent a BV® BLUE test and slide collection for BV analysis by Nugent's criteria. Following pessary fitting, women were randomized to either standard pessary care with the use of TrimoSan© placed vaginally twice weekly or to standard pessary care without TrimoSan© gel. Women returned 2 weeks and 3 months later for repeat slide collection for Gram stain, BV® BLUE testing, and completion of questionnaires on vaginal symptoms and desire to continue the pessary.There were 184 women randomized after successful fitting (92 to the TrimoSan© group), and 147 (79%) presented for 3 month follow up. Mean age was 56 ± 16 years; patients were mostly Caucasian (57%) or Hispanic (23%) and 36% were using HT. The groups did not differ in the prevalence of BV by Nugent's criteria at 2 weeks (20% TrimoSan© vs 26% no gel, p=0.46) or 3 months (24% TrimoSan© vs 23% no gel, p=0.82), nor did they differ in BV by BV® BLUE testing at 2 weeks (0% TrimoSan© vs 4% no gel, p=0.12) or 3 months (3% TrimoSan© vs 0% no gel, p=0.15). The prevalence of at least one vaginal symptom did not differ between groups at 2 weeks (44% TrimoSan© vs 45% no gel, p=0.98) or 3 months (42% TrimoSan© vs 32% no gel, p=0.30). The TrimoSan© group was equally likely to want to continue their pessary use compared to the standard care group at 2 weeks (90% vs 86%, p=0.64) and 3 months (63% vs 60%, p=0.76).TrimoSan© gel in the first 3 months of pessary use does not decrease the prevalence of BV or vaginal symptoms and does not alter the likelihood of a woman desiring to continue pessary use.Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

publication date

  • April 2015