The Effect of Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus on Urogynecological Functions in Postmenopausal Women

Aim: To examine the relationship between urinary symptoms and vulvar lichen sclerosus. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed in our clinic between January 2019 and March 2020. One hundred and ten patients were included in the study. They were all postmenopausal women and were divided into two groups: the study group comprised of women diagnosed with lichen sclerosus (n=59), and the control group comprised of postmenopausal women who sought a routine gynecological examination (n=51). In the study group, all patients were dermatopathologically diagnosed with biopsy. Both groups completed two validated questionnaires: the Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI-6) and the Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (IIQ-7). The total scores from questionnaires and sub-groups of UDI-6 and IIQ-7 were also analyzed in detail. Results: There were no differences in demographic features or in time from the onset of menopause for both groups. Total UDI-6 scores were significantly higher in the study group (p<0.05). Scores in the sections of the UDI-6 that included irritative symptoms and urinary incontinence were also higher in the study group (p<0.01). Total IIQ-7 scores were also significantly higher in the study group (p<0.05). The IIQ-7 sub-scores regarding physical activity and travel were significantly higher in the study group (p<0.01). Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study in the literature reporting the association between vulvar lichen sclerosus and urinary incontinence symptoms through validated objective tests. We demonstrated that both UDI-6 and IIQ-7 scores were significantly higher in patients with vulvar lichen sclerosus.