A Prospective, Open-Label, Pilot, Multicentric Clinical Investigation to Evaluate the Performance and Safety of Cerviron Ovules® in the Local Treatment of Non-Specific or Endogenous, Symptomatic Vaginitis

Vaginitis is the general term characterizing a spectrum of disorders of the vagina caused by infection, inflammation, or changes in the normal vaginal flora. Symptoms include abnormal vaginal discharge, odour, pruritus, pain, dysuria and/or discomfort. Moreover, vaginitis is responsible for the most common problems in clinical medicine, and it is the reason cited most often for visits to obstetricians and gynecologists. In the past years, the problem of vaginitis has all too often been ignored by the medical community or regarded merely as a minor annoyance to women. According to Gardner, "Vaginitis must cause more unhappiness on earth than any other gynecologic disease. In addition to the many physical and emotional problems associated with vaginitis, the economic loss involved is of astronomic proportions." The most common causes of vaginitis are bacterial vaginosis, vulvovaginal candidiasis, and trichomoniasis. Bacterial Vaginosis is the cause in 40% to 50% of cases in which a cause is identified, with vulvovaginal candidiasis accounting for 20% to 25% and trichomoniasis for 15% to 20% of cases. The standard of care currently is based on anti-infectious therapy. With the availability of complementary and alternative therapies and over-the-counter medications for vaginitis, many symptomatic women seek these products before or in addition to an evaluation by a medical provider. However, recurrence of vaginosis is frequent, and can include four or more episodes in one year.

Non-infectious cases, including atrophic, irritant, and inflammatory vaginitis, are less common and account for 5% to 10% of vaginitis cases. Obtaining a medical history alone has been shown to be insufficient for accurate diagnosis of vaginitis and can lead to the inappropriate administration of medication. Therefore, a careful history, examination, and laboratory testing to determine the etiology of vaginal symptoms are needed. Information on sexual behaviors and practices, gender of sex partners, menses, vaginal hygiene practices (e.g., douching), and self-treatment with medications should be collected.

Other causes of vaginitis There is no cause of vagini¬tis identified in up to 30% of women. These women may have a range of conditions, includ¬ing irritant or allergic vaginitis, atrophic vaginitis, or physiologic discharge. The presence of objective signs of vulvar inflammation in the absence of vaginal pathogens after laboratory testing suggests the possibility of mechanical, chemical, allergic, or other non-infectious causes of vulvovaginal signs or symptoms.

Inflammatory vagi¬nitis is an uncommon condition characterized by purulent vaginal discharge, burning, and dyspa¬reunia, and should be considered in patients with these symptoms if no infectious cause is found. Inflammatory vaginitis is associated with low estrogen levels, such as in menopausal or perimenopausal women.

Desquamative inflammatory vaginitis is a chronic inflammatory process involving both vagina and vestibule, occurring almost exclusively in white women, that responds well to topical anti-inflammatory therapy. Long-term maintenance therapy is frequently required.