Summary
Background
Topical estrogen treatment has been considered the first-line treatment of labial
adhesions in prepubertal girls. However, the effect of topical estrogen cream is different
according to studies, and no study compared estrogen cream to observation. Objective: This study aims to investigate the efficacy of topical estrogen cream treatment
compared with observation in prepubertal girls with labial adhesions.
Study design
The medical records of prepubertal girls diagnosed with labial adhesions from April
2005 to June 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Baseline characteristics such as
age at diagnosis and initial symptoms were collected. The primary outcome was the
resolution of labial adhesion. Secondary outcomes were recurrence and side effects.
Results
A total of 114 patients were enrolled and divided into two groups, topical estrogen
cream (n=94), and observation (n=20). Girls who were treated with estrogen cream had
older age (24.6±19.0 vs. 16.7±15.3 months, p=0.037) and higher resolution rate than
the observation group (100.0% vs. 85.0%, respectively, p=0.005). Girls younger than
23.3 months showed a significantly higher resolution rate to topical estrogen treatment
(100% vs. 86.7%, p=0.043). Side effects and recurrences occurred exclusively in children
treated with topical estrogen therapy without significant differences compared to
the observation group.
Conclusion
Topical estrogen therapy showed a higher resolution rate than observation for the
treatment of prepubertal girls with labial adhesions, especially in younger girls.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
January 9,
2023
Received in revised form:
November 27,
2022
Received:
June 20,
2022
Publication stage
In Press Journal Pre-ProofIdentification
Copyright
© 2023 Journal of Pediatric Urology Company. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.