Abstract
Objective:
Vulvodynia is a condition characterized by chronic pain and discomfort in the vulvar region often accompanied with physical and psychological comorbidities. Interstitial cystitis (IC)/bladder pain syndrome (BPS), a chronic condition characterized by bladder pain and urinary urgency, has repeatedly been shown to comorbidly be present in a large proportion of women with vulvodynia. However, recent studies have shown that women with vulvodynia experienced additional bladder-related symptoms beyond that of just IC/BPS.
Materials and Methods:
Using Swedish National Registry data, we assessed the association between urological symptoms in the presence and absence of IC/BPS in women with vulvodynia/vaginismus relative to women with no vulvar pain history.
Results:
After adjustment for birth year, parity, education, and residential location, women with vulvar pain had a 2.2-fold greater risk of cystitis or urethritis as expected (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.9–2.6). However, when women with cystitis codes were excluded, those with urethra disorders or other urinary symptoms codes were 1.9 times more likely to be vulvar pain cases (95% CI 1.7–2.1).
Conclusions:
These findings support the belief that vulvodynia is not limited to being comorbid with IC/BPS but may also likely be associated with a wide range of urological disorders.
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