The therapeutic effect of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on vulvovaginal atrophy

Jing Wang; Ling Wang

doi:10.1016/j.phrs.2021.105509

The therapeutic effect of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on vulvovaginal atrophy

Pharmacol Res. 2021 Apr:166:105509. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2021.105509. Epub 2021 Feb 18.

Authors

Jing Wang¹, Ling Wang²

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, Hospital & Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; The Academy of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-related Diseases, Shanghai, China.
² Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, Hospital & Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; The Academy of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-related Diseases, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: Dr.wangling@fudan.edu.cn.

PMID: 33610719
DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2021.105509

Abstract

Vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA) is a chronic disease that mostly occurs in postmenopausal women. After menopause, insufficient sex hormones affect the anatomy of the vagina and cause drastic physiological changes. The main histopathological studies of VVA show that postmenopausal estrogen deficiency can lead to the increase of intermediate/parabasal cells, resulting in the loss of lactobacillus, elasticity and lubricity, vaginal epithelial atrophy, pain, dryness. Although the role of estrogen hormones in the treatment of VVA has always been in the past, it is now widely accepted that it also depends on androgens. Estrogen drugs have many side effects. So, Dehydroepiandrosterone（DHEA）is promising for the treatment of VVA, especially when women with contraindications to estrogen have symptoms. This review is expected to understand the latest developments in VVA and the efficacy of DHEA.

Keywords: Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA); Estrogen; Genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM); Vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA).

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Atrophy / drug therapy
Atrophy / pathology
Dehydroepiandrosterone / therapeutic use*
Female
Humans
Postmenopause / drug effects
Vagina / drug effects
Vagina / pathology
Vaginal Diseases / drug therapy*
Vaginal Diseases / pathology
Vulva / drug effects
Vulva / pathology
Vulvar Diseases / drug therapy*
Vulvar Diseases / pathology

Substances

Dehydroepiandrosterone