Vaginal estrogen therapy is associated with increased Lactobacillus in the urine of postmenopausal women with overactive bladder symptoms. 2020

Krystal Thomas-White, and Susanne Taege, and Roberto Limeira, and Cynthia Brincat, and Cara Joyce, and Evann E Hilt, and Laura Mac-Daniel, and Katherine A Radek, and Linda Brubaker, and Elizabeth R Mueller, and Alan J Wolfe
Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA.

Previous work has shown that the vaginal microbiome decreases in Lactobacillus predominance and becomes more diverse after menopause. It has also been shown that estrogen therapy restores Lactobacillus dominance in the vagina and that topical estrogen is associated with overactive bladder symptom improvement. We now know that the bladder contains a unique microbiome and that increased bladder microbiome diversity is associated with overactive bladder. However, there is no understanding of how quickly each pelvic floor microbiome responds to estrogen or if those changes are associated with symptom improvement. This study aimed to determine if estrogen treatment of postmenopausal women with overactive bladder decreases urobiome diversity. We analyzed data from postmenopausal participants in 2 trials (NCT02524769 and NCT02835846) who chose vaginal estrogen as the primary overactive bladder treatment and used 0.5 g of conjugated estrogen (Premarin cream; Pfizer, New York City, NY) twice weekly for 12 weeks. Baseline and 12-week follow-up data included the Overactive Bladder questionnaire, and participants provided urine samples via catheter, vaginal swabs, perineal swabs, and voided urine samples. Microbes were detected by an enhanced culture protocol. Linear mixed models were used to estimate microbiome changes over time. Urinary antimicrobial peptide activity was assessed by a bacterial growth inhibition assay and correlated with relative abundance of members of the urobiome. In this study, 12 weeks of estrogen treatment resulted in decreased microbial diversity within the vagina (Shannon, P=.047; Richness, P=.043) but not in the other niches. A significant increase in Lactobacillus was detected in the bladder (P=.037) but not in the vagina (P=.33), perineum (P=.56), or voided urine (P=.28). The change in Lactobacillus levels in the bladder was associated with modest changes in urgency incontinence symptoms (P=.02). The relative abundance of the genus Corynebacterium correlated positively with urinary antimicrobial peptide activity after estrogen treatment. Estrogen therapy may change the microbiome of different pelvic floor niches. The vagina begins to decrease in diversity, and the bladder experiences a significant increase in Lactobacillus levels; the latter is correlated with a modest improvement in the symptom severity subscale of the Overactive Bladder questionnaire.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007778 Lactobacillus A genus of gram-positive, microaerophilic, rod-shaped bacteria occurring widely in nature. Its species are also part of the many normal flora of the mouth, intestinal tract, and vagina of many mammals, including humans. Lactobacillus species are homofermentative and ferment a broad spectrum of carbohydrates often host-adapted but do not ferment PENTOSES. Most members were previously assigned to the Lactobacillus delbrueckii group. Pathogenicity from this genus is rare.
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D001743 Urinary Bladder A musculomembranous sac along the URINARY TRACT. URINE flows from the KIDNEYS into the bladder via the ureters (URETER), and is held there until URINATION. Bladder,Bladder Detrusor Muscle,Detrusor Urinae,Bladder Detrusor Muscles,Bladder, Urinary,Detrusor Muscle, Bladder,Detrusor Muscles, Bladder
D002851 Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid Liquid chromatographic techniques which feature high inlet pressures, high sensitivity, and high speed. Chromatography, High Performance Liquid,Chromatography, High Speed Liquid,Chromatography, Liquid, High Pressure,HPLC,High Performance Liquid Chromatography,High-Performance Liquid Chromatography,UPLC,Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography,Chromatography, High-Performance Liquid,High-Performance Liquid Chromatographies,Liquid Chromatography, High-Performance
D003352 Corynebacterium A genus of asporogenous bacteria that is widely distributed in nature. Its organisms appear as straight to slightly curved rods and are known to be human and animal parasites and pathogens.
D004966 Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) A pharmaceutical preparation containing a mixture of water-soluble, conjugated estrogens derived wholly or in part from URINE of pregnant mares or synthetically from ESTRONE and EQUILIN. It contains a sodium-salt mixture of estrone sulfate (52-62%) and equilin sulfate (22-30%) with a total of the two between 80-88%. Other concomitant conjugates include 17-alpha-dihydroequilin, 17-alpha-estradiol, and 17-beta-dihydroequilin. The potency of the preparation is expressed in terms of an equivalent quantity of sodium estrone sulfate. Conjugated Equine Estrogen,Conjugated Estrogen,Estrogenic Substances, Conjugated,Progen,Carentil,Climarest,Climopax,Congest,Conjugated Equine Estrogens,Conjugated Estrogens,Dagynil,Estro-Feminal,Estrogenic Hormones, Conjugated,Estrogens, Conjugated,Femavit,Oestro-Feminal,Oestrofeminal,Prelestrin,Premarin,Presomen,Progens,Transannon,Conjugated Estrogenic Hormones,Conjugated Estrogenic Substances,Equine Estrogen, Conjugated,Equine Estrogens, Conjugated,Estro Feminal,Estrogen, Conjugated,Estrogen, Conjugated Equine,Oestro Feminal
D004967 Estrogens Compounds that interact with ESTROGEN RECEPTORS in target tissues to bring about the effects similar to those of ESTRADIOL. Estrogens stimulate the female reproductive organs, and the development of secondary female SEX CHARACTERISTICS. Estrogenic chemicals include natural, synthetic, steroidal, or non-steroidal compounds. Estrogen,Estrogen Effect,Estrogen Effects,Estrogen Receptor Agonists,Estrogenic Agents,Estrogenic Compounds,Estrogenic Effect,Estrogenic Effects,Agents, Estrogenic,Agonists, Estrogen Receptor,Compounds, Estrogenic,Effects, Estrogen,Effects, Estrogenic,Receptor Agonists, Estrogen
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000190 Actinomyces A genus of gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria whose organisms are nonmotile. Filaments that may be present in certain species are either straight or wavy and may have swollen or clubbed heads.

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