Impact of intravaginal nystatin/dexamethasone therapy on health-related quality of life in women with candidal or mixed vulvovaginitis

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Published: 2025-02-28
DOI: https://doi.org/10.18566/medupb.v44n1.a06

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Romero Prada, M. E., Díaz Cely , A. L., Caicedo Zúñiga, M. L., Sánchez Guerrero , V., Rocha Rodríguez , L. G., Llanos Moreno, C. J., Vergel Pacheco , E. D., Castro Cuenca , C. G., & Kafury Goeta, A. C. (2025). Impact of intravaginal nystatin/dexamethasone therapy on health-related quality of life in women with candidal or mixed vulvovaginitis. Medicina UPB, 44(1), 51-60. https://doi.org/10.18566/medupb.v44n1.a06

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Martin Emilio Romero Prada
Grupo Proyéctame
Andrea Liliana Díaz Cely
Grupo Proyéctame
Martha Lucia Caicedo Zúñiga
Grupo Proyéctame
Valentina Sánchez Guerrero
Grupo Proyéctame
Luis Gabriel Rocha Rodríguez
Grupo Proyéctame
Claudia Jimena Llanos Moreno
División Médico Científica, Tecnoquímicas
Elkin Daniel Vergel Pacheco
Centro médico Mendes
Carlos Giovani Castro Cuenca
Clínica de la Mujer
Ana Cecilia Kafury Goeta
Clínica Farallones

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the symptoms and changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with candidiasis vulvovaginal or mixed infections who received intravaginal treatment with Nystatin/Dexamethasone.


Methods: A before-and-after study conducted on women over 18 years of age with candidal or mixed vulvovaginitis, treated with intravaginal Nystatin/Dexamethasone as monotherapy or in combination with oral imidazole. The EQ-5D questionnaire and a symptom questionnaire were used to assess HRQoL, both of which were administered before and after treatment.


Results: 236 patients were included; 150 received intravaginal Nystatin/Dexamethasone (group 1) and 86 received intravaginal Nystatin/Dexamethasone plus oral imidazole (group 2). The median age was 35 years (IQR: 27-43 years). After treatment, the time for symptom improvement was 1 to 3 days in 71.3% (group 1) and 73.3% (group 2), with a change of over 80% in most of the aspects evaluated. In the EQ-5D questionnaire, the most affected dimensions were pain (43% in group 1 vs. 30% in group 2), followed by anxiety/depression (9% in group 1 vs. 19% in group 2), with an improvement in the EQ-5D index before and after treatment in group 1 (absolute variation of 0.0589) and in group 2 (absolute variation of 0.0601).


Conclusion: An early improvement in symptoms and HRQoL was observed in patients treated with intravaginal Nystatin/Dexamethasone, with no differences in outcomes between monotherapy and combination with oral imidazoles.

Keywords:
Vulvovaginitis, Vulvovaginal candidiasis, Nystatin, Dexamethasone, Quality of life

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