TY - JOUR
T1 - Vaginal microbiota and genitourinary menopausal symptoms
T2 - A cross-sectional analysis
AU - Mitchell, Caroline M.
AU - Srinivasan, Sujatha
AU - Zhan, Xiang
AU - Wu, Michael C.
AU - Reed, Susan D.
AU - Guthrie, Katherine A.
AU - LaCroix, Andrea Z.
AU - Fiedler, Tina
AU - Munch, Matthew
AU - Liu, Congzhou
AU - Hoffman, Noah G.
AU - Blair, Ian A.
AU - Newton, Katherine
AU - Freeman, Ellen W.
AU - Joffe, Hadine
AU - Cohen, Lee
AU - Fredricks, David N.
N1 - Funding Information:
This project was funded by the National Institutes of Health as a cooperative agreement issued by the National Institute of Aging: #U01 AG032656, U01AG032659, U01AG032669, U01AG032682, U01AG032699, and U01AG032700.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 by The North American Menopause Society.
PY - 2017/10/1
Y1 - 2017/10/1
N2 - Objective: To examine associations between the composition of the vaginal microbiota and genitourinary menopausal symptoms, serum estrogen, and vaginal glycogen. Methods: For this cross-sectional study, 88 women aged 40 to 62 years, enrolled in a hot flash treatment trial, provided vaginal swabs and a blood sample at enrollment. Bacterial communities were characterized using 16S rRNA PCR and deep sequencing targeting the V3-V4 region. Quantities of Lactobacillus crispatus and Lactobacillus iners were measured using qPCR. Self-reported genitourinary symptoms included: presence and severity of individual symptoms and identification of most bothersome symptom. Glycogen was measured fluorometrically in swab eluate. Serum estradiol (E2) and estrone (E1) were measured by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. Associations between bacteria, symptoms, glycogen, and serum estrogens were tested by linear regression or Wilcoxon signed-rank test, adjusted for multiple comparisons. Comparisons between groups used Kruskall-Wallis or Fisher's exact test. Results: Of the 88 women, 33 (38%) had a majority of Lactobacillus species, whereas 58 (66%) had any Lactobacillus detected. Over half (53%) reported at least one vulvovaginal symptom (most commonly dryness), but symptoms were not associated with the presence of Lactobacillus species. Women with Lactobacillus-dominant communities had higher unconjugated serum estrone, but no difference in vaginal glycogen levels, compared with those with non-Lactobacillus-dominant communities. Higher serum E2 and E1 were not associated with either higher vaginal glycogen or detection of individual genera. Conclusions: Presence of Lactobacillus-dominant vaginal microbiota was not associated with fewer vulvovaginal symptoms. Serum estrone was higher in women with Lactobacillus dominance, but vaginal-free glycogen was not associated with composition of the vaginal microbiota.
AB - Objective: To examine associations between the composition of the vaginal microbiota and genitourinary menopausal symptoms, serum estrogen, and vaginal glycogen. Methods: For this cross-sectional study, 88 women aged 40 to 62 years, enrolled in a hot flash treatment trial, provided vaginal swabs and a blood sample at enrollment. Bacterial communities were characterized using 16S rRNA PCR and deep sequencing targeting the V3-V4 region. Quantities of Lactobacillus crispatus and Lactobacillus iners were measured using qPCR. Self-reported genitourinary symptoms included: presence and severity of individual symptoms and identification of most bothersome symptom. Glycogen was measured fluorometrically in swab eluate. Serum estradiol (E2) and estrone (E1) were measured by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. Associations between bacteria, symptoms, glycogen, and serum estrogens were tested by linear regression or Wilcoxon signed-rank test, adjusted for multiple comparisons. Comparisons between groups used Kruskall-Wallis or Fisher's exact test. Results: Of the 88 women, 33 (38%) had a majority of Lactobacillus species, whereas 58 (66%) had any Lactobacillus detected. Over half (53%) reported at least one vulvovaginal symptom (most commonly dryness), but symptoms were not associated with the presence of Lactobacillus species. Women with Lactobacillus-dominant communities had higher unconjugated serum estrone, but no difference in vaginal glycogen levels, compared with those with non-Lactobacillus-dominant communities. Higher serum E2 and E1 were not associated with either higher vaginal glycogen or detection of individual genera. Conclusions: Presence of Lactobacillus-dominant vaginal microbiota was not associated with fewer vulvovaginal symptoms. Serum estrone was higher in women with Lactobacillus dominance, but vaginal-free glycogen was not associated with composition of the vaginal microbiota.
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U2 - 10.1097/GME.0000000000000904
DO - 10.1097/GME.0000000000000904
M3 - Article
C2 - 28640154
AN - SCOPUS:85021086300
VL - 24
SP - 1160
EP - 1166
JO - Menopause
JF - Menopause
SN - 1072-3714
IS - 10
ER -