Comparison of usefulness of estradiol vaginal tablets and estriol vagitories for treatment of vaginal atrophy

Background. Atrophic vaginitis is a common condition. This study compared the usefulness of estradiol vaginal tablets (EVT) and estriol vagitories (EV) in treatment of atrophic vaginitis. Methods. Ninety-six postmenopausal women with symptoms of atrophic vaginitis were treated for 24 weeks with either EVT or with EV. Patients used the medication daily for the first 2 weeks of the study, and twice-weekly thereafter. Results. Both EVT and EV were effective in treating vaginal atrophy and patients in both treatment groups experienced a significant improvement in vaginal symptoms such as itching, irritation, dryness, and dyspareunia. At the end of the study three (6%) EVT treated women reported leakage and none needed to use sanitary towels. Among the EV treated women 31 (65%) reported leakage and 14 (29%) required sanitary protection. Furthermore, 90% in the EVT group perceived the medication as hygienic compared to 79% in the EV group, and 49% in the EVT group indicated that the product was easy to use compared to 28% in the EV group. Endometrial thickness was increased (1.1 mm with EVT and 0.5 mm on EV) in both treatment groups during the first 2 weeks of the study, but returned to baseline levels when the frequency of drug application was reduced to twice-weekly. Conclusions. Estradiol vaginal tablets provides an effective alternative to traditional forms of local estrogen therapy.