The Connection Between GSM and Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)
“Genitourinary syndrome of menopause is not just a little bit of vaginal dryness that can be cured with moisturizers and lubricants, but the syndrome can lead to recurrent urinary tract infections, which are extremely harmful and dangerous to our patients and cost the healthcare system a lot of money,” said Rachel Rubin, MD, a urologist and sexual medicine specialist in Bethesda, Maryland.
Lubricants and moisturizers can all help with the symptoms of GSM, at least in the short term, Dr. Rubin noted. But only hormones can get to the root of the problem and reduce the risk for a recurrent UTI (rUTI), Dr. Rubin added, noting that the American Urological Association recommends the use of vaginal estrogen to reduce the risk for rUTIs and is developing the clinical practice guidelines for GSM.
Dr. Danan’s review did not address the association between UTIs and GSM, but Dr. Rubin said she sees the link in clinical practice.
“Recurrent urinary tract infections occur because of GSM, because of the lack of hormones to the tissue,” sometimes when a woman is in her 60s or 70s and thinks menopause is long over, Dr. Rubin said.
The reality is that women may need to take hormones for decades to reduce the risk for UTIs, another reason longer-term safety data are needed, Dr. Rubin said.
Dr. Danan, Dr. Faubion, and Dr. Rubin reported no relevant financial relationships.
A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.