Estrogen receptor expression and vascularization of anterior vaginal wall after local estrogen supplement in postmenopausal women with urinary incontinence

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of local vaginal estrogen supplement on estrogen receptor expression and vascularization of anterior vaginal wall in post-menopausal women with stress urinary incontinence. Methods: Twenty-five post-menopausal women who were to receive anti-incontinence surgery were invited to participate. Women in the estrogen supplement group applied topical estrogen cream vaginally at a dose of 1g every two days. Immunohistochemical staining for estrogen receptor β and CD34 (endothelial cell marker of blood vessels) was performed on anterior vaginal wall tissue samples. Data was compared between the estrogen supplement group and the control group. Results: There were no significant differences in ERβ ratio or number of CD34 stained blood vessels between the groups. Conclusion: ERβ expression and vascularization did not increase after vaginal estrogen supplement in postmenopausal women with stress urinary incontinence.