Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30358729›Full record

ArticleMenopause (New York, N.Y.)2018

Association between the vaginal microbiota, menopause status, and signs of vulvovaginal atrophy.

Rebecca M Brotman, Michelle D Shardell, Pawel Gajer, Doug Fadrosh, Kathryn Chang, Michelle I Silver, Raphael P Viscidi, Anne E Burke, Jacques Ravel, Patti E Gravitt

2 registry-linked trialsAbstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Menopause (New York, N.Y.), 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 60 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
60citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT04079218 phase4completednot on this mapstarted 2020, after this paper: background citation

The Impact of HIV on Accelerated Aging in the Female Genital Tract: a Pilot Trial of Topical Estradiol to Improve the Vaginal Microbiome and Symptoms of Vaginal Atrophy in Menopausal Women With HIV

TypeinterventionalSponsorKerry MurphyRan2020 to 2023Enrolled60ConditionsHIV Infection, Vaginal Atrophy, Menopause, Menopause Related ConditionsArmsEstradiol Vaginal Insert
NCT07526948 phase4not yet recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

Vaginal Estradiol Versus Moisturizer to Improve Postmenopausal Vaginal Aging Symptoms, Dysbiosis and Markers of Latency Reversal in Menopausal Women Living With HIV

TypeinterventionalSponsorAlbert Einstein College of MedicineRan2026 to 2029Enrolled62ConditionsMenopausal Complaints, Vaginal Atrophy, Genitourinary Symptoms, HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)ArmsVaginal estradiol tablets, Vaginal moisturizer
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

60 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Impact of Vaginal Estradiol on the Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause, Vaginal Microbiome and Mucosal Immune Mediators in Women With HIV.Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America · 2026
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  18. Aging Is Associated With Decreased Lactobacillus and Increased Cervicovaginal Inflammation in Canadian Women.American journal of reproductive immunology (New York, N.Y. : 1989) · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Rebecca M BrotmanInstitute for Genome Sciences.
Michelle D ShardellDepartment of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.
Pawel GajerInstitute for Genome Sciences.
Doug FadroshInstitute for Genome Sciences.
Kathryn ChangDepartment of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.
Michelle I SilverDepartment of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.
Raphael P ViscidiDepartments of Pediatrics and Neurovirology.
Anne E BurkeObstetrics and Gynecology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.
Jacques RavelInstitute for Genome Sciences.
Patti E GravittDepartment of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.

Funding

Vaginal microbiota, immune responses and vulvovaginal symptoms during menopauseR21AI107224 · NIAID · UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE · PI BROTMAN, REBECCA M. · 2013 to 2014
$422k
NIAID NIH HHS R21 AI107224
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThe vaginal microbiota helps protect the female genital tract from disease. We sought to describe the composition of the vaginal microbiota in premenopausal, perimenopausal, and postmenopausal women and to explore the association between the microbiota and vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA).

methodsEighty-seven women (aged 35-60 y) were classified as premenopausal (n = 30), perimenopausal (n = 29), or postmenopausal (n = 28) according to Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop guidelines. Midvaginal bacterial community composition was characterized by 16S ribosomal RNA gene analysis.

resultsBacterial communities clustered into six community state types (CSTs), of which four were dominated by Lactobacillus crispatus, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus iners, or Lactobacillus jensenii, and two (CST IV-A and CST IV-B) had low relative abundance of Lactobacillus. CST IV-A was characterized by Streptococcus and Prevotella, whereas CST IV-B was characterized by Atopobium. There were significant associations between menopause stage and CST (P = 0.004) and between VVA and CST (P = 0.002). Perimenopausal women were more likely to be classified as CST IV-A or L. gasseri CST, whereas postmenopausal women were often classified as CST IV-A. CSTs dominated by L. crispatus and L. iners were more prevalent in premenopausal women. Nineteen participants had signs of mild or moderate VVA. Compared with women with no VVA, the vaginal microbiota of women with mild or moderate atrophy had 25-fold greater odds of being classified as CST IV-A versus L. crispatus CST (adjusted odds ratio, 25.89; 95% credible interval, 2.98-406.79).

conclusionsA distinct bacterial community state (CST IV-A) with a low relative abundance of Lactobacillus is associated with VVA. Future studies recruiting a larger number of women are needed to replicate the findings. This study provides an impetus for future longitudinal studies designed to manage, modulate, and restore vaginal microbiota homeostasis, which would provide stronger evidence for a causal relationship with VVA and ultimately improve the treatment and prevention of atrophic vaginitis in menopause.

Indexed as

MenopauseMicrobiotaAdultAtrophyBayes TheoremCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansLactobacillusLogistic ModelsMiddle AgedPrecision MedicineRNA, Ribosomal, 16SSelf ReportSequence Analysis, RNASurveys and QuestionnairesRNA, Ribosomal, 16S

Identifiers

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.