oxalates and Vulvar-Diseases

To examine the relationship between dietary oxalates and the development of vulvodynia.. We conducted a population-based, case-control study of women with and without vulvodynia from 9 ethnically diverse Boston-area communities. Conditional logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the odds of developing vulvodynia as a consequence of self-reported consumption patterns of high-oxalate foods and total weekly dietary oxalate. Oxalate consumption was referenced prior to the onset of symptoms in cases and to a matched reference date among controls.. Baseline clinical characteristics were similar among the 242 cases and 242 controls except for a higher reported incidence of pain/difficulty with first tampon insertion among cases (46.3% vs. 32.2%, p < 0.01). After adjusting for potential confounders, no differences were observed in consumption patterns of different high-oxalate foods between cases and controls, and there was no increase in risk of developing vulvodynia with increasing tertiles of estimated oxalate intake. In addition, we saw no association between increasing consumption of various food items high in oxalate content and the risk of vulvodynia.. Dietary oxalate consumption does not appear to be associated with an elevated risk of vulvodynia.

Topics: Adult; Case-Control Studies; Diet; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Oxalates; Pain; Risk Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires; Vulvar Diseases

This study was undertaken to determine the urinary oxalate excretion patterns in patients with vulvodynia compared with controls and to evaluate antioxalate therapy in women with vulvar pain syndrome (vulvodynia).. A total of 130 consecutive patients with vulvar pain syndrome and 23 volunteers without symptoms collected urine specimens for 24 hours; each voiding was saved in individual labeled containers and refrigerated. The specimens were analyzed individually for oxalate and calculated according to 24-hour concentration, volume, and peak oxalate by hour. A total of 59 patients were treated with low-oxalate diets and calcium citrate for 3 months and evaluated for objective relief of vulvar pain.. The 24-hour excretion of oxalate was almost identical in controls and vulvodynia patients. The total 24-hour excretion was directly proportional to the volume of urine excreted (p < 0.001). No significant differences were found in peak oxalate excretion (95% confidence intervals). The number of voidings was higher in the vulvodynia cohort (p < 0.02). The 59 women with elevated oxalate concentrations (> 1 mg/40 dl) were treated with an antioxalate regimen. Fourteen (24%) demonstrated an objective response, but only 6 (10%) could have pain-free sexual intercourse.. Urinary oxalates may be nonspecific irritants that aggravate vulvodynia; however, the role of oxalates as instigators is doubtful.

Topics: Circadian Rhythm; Cohort Studies; Female; Humans; Oxalates; Pain; Prospective Studies; Syndrome; Vulvar Diseases