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Prevalences of and risk factors for vulvar diseases in Nepal: a hospital‐based study
Author(s) -
Pathak Deeptara,
Agrawal Sudha,
Dhali Tapan K.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
international journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-4632
pISSN - 0011-9059
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-4632.2010.04631.x
Subject(s) - medicine , vulva , vulvodynia , dermatology , outpatient clinic , vulvar diseases , population , vulvitis , vaginitis , disease , surgery , gynecology , pelvic pain , environmental health
Background The vulvar diseases are common skin conditions, but their frequency and importance are often underestimated. Objectives This study is aimed to investigate the frequency and clinical patterns of vulvar diseases and the risk factors associated with these diseases in patients attending a tertiary care hospital in eastern Nepal. Methods Patients with vulval symptoms or cutaneous lesions on the vulva were enrolled in the study. Laboratory investigations were carried out according to need. Equal numbers of age‐matched females without vulval lesions or symptoms were selected from the outpatient department as controls. Results Of 5521 female patients attending the Dermatology Department’s outpatient clinic during the study period, 105 (1.9%) had vulval symptoms and/or lesions. The most common types of vulvar disease were vulvar dermatoses (62.85%), pruritus vulvae (36.19%) and vulvodynia (0.95%). In vulvar dermatoses, infection was the most common (33.4%) manifestation, with a predominance of vulvovaginal candidiasis. Other dermatoses included: cysts and tumors (5.6%); pigmentary changes (vitiligo) (5.6%); inflammatory dermatoses (6.6%); atrophic vaginitis (1.8%); erosive disease (0.9%); and dermatosis caused by sexual abuse (1.9%). Use of nylon undergarments, occasional detergent use for washing clothes, and an irregular menstrual history were found to be associated with vulvar diseases. Conclusions Our study findings indicate that the known frequency of vulvar diseases may represent only a small proportion of actual frequency. Further clinical and population‐based research should be carried out with respect to the treatment, follow‐up, and true prevalence of these diseases in the community.