Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41044538›Full record

Trial reportBMC women's health2025

Effect of zinc-containing pessaries on menopausal genitourinary syndrome, a double-blind randomised trial.

Assem Mousa, Ismail Elgarhi, Bahaa Ibrahim, Emad Atalla, Mazen Abdel-Rasheed, Omar Nagy, Kareem Shaheen

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC women's health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Assem MousaObstetrics and Gynaecology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
Ismail ElgarhiObstetrics and Gynaecology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
Bahaa IbrahimObstetrics and Gynaecology Department, Ashmoun Central Hospital, Elmenofia, Egypt.
Emad AtallaObstetrics and Gynaecology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
Mazen Abdel-RasheedReproductive Health Research Department, National Research Centre, 33 El-Buhouth St, Dokki, Cairo, 12622, Egypt. doctor_mazen@hotmail.com.ORCID 0000-0001-5575-1782
Omar NagyReproductive Health Research Department, National Research Centre, 33 El-Buhouth St, Dokki, Cairo, 12622, Egypt.
Kareem ShaheenObstetrics and Gynaecology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, Minia, Egypt.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMenopause-related changes in the vulva, vagina, and lower urinary tract are called the genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM). Symptoms include urgency, dysuria, recurrent urinary tract infection, dryness, burning, irritation in the genitals, and sexual symptoms. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of zinc-containing vaginal pessaries in relieving GSM symptoms and to document any adverse reactions that may occur.

methodsA pilot prospective randomised study was conducted on fifty postmenopausal women. Group 1 of 25 cases received zinc-containing pessaries, and Group 2 of 25 cases received placebo pessaries. Both groups received the treatment regimen in the form of one pessary per vagina before bedtime for 14 consecutive nights. GSM symptoms on a visual analog scale (VAS) and Vaginal Health Index (VHI) were reported before and after treatment.

resultRegarding VHI values after treatment, patients treated with zinc pessaries showed significant improvement regarding elasticity, fluid secretion, vaginal pH, epithelial mucosa, moisture, and the total score compared to those treated with placebo pessaries. Regarding the VAS score, also patients treated with zinc pessaries had statistically significant improvement regarding vaginal pain, burning sensation, itching, vaginal dryness, dyspareunia, dysuria, and the total score compared to those treated with placebo pessaries.

conclusionpatients of GSM treated with zinc pessaries had higher satisfaction with significant improvement in the VHI and VAS scores.

Indexed as

Female Urogenital DiseasesMenopausePessariesZincDouble-Blind MethodFemaleHumansMiddle AgedPilot ProjectsProspective StudiesSyndromeTreatment OutcomeVaginaZincAtrophic vaginitisGenitourinary syndrome of menopauseVulvovaginal atrophyZinc pessaries

Identifiers

PMID41044538
PMCPMC12492771

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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.