Shehla Admani, MD
University of California, San Diego
San Diego, California
2016 Mentorship Recipient
Mentorship Grant Proposal
Abstract
Acne vulgaris affects a great majority of the population. In women who have significant hormonal fluctuations in their acne, mainstays of treatment include combined hormonal contraceptives and spironolactone. The effect of these treatments on female sexual function is controversial but poorly understood.
Some data suggest that oral contraceptives (including those containing drospirenone) may cause vulvovaginal atrophy and vestibulitis. These data are being extrapolated by some investigators and clinicians to suggest that spironolactone may exert negative effects on female sexual function; however, there is no currently available literature to support this statement.
In the proposed study, patients who are currently on a stable dose of spironolactone for the treatment of acne will be evaluated for signs of sexual dysfunction, both subjectively (through surveys) and objectively (clinical exam, vaginal pH, and vaginal discharge wet mount preparation). These patients will be compared to age-matched controls to determine any differences in sexual function between the two groups.