Empirical therapy as first-line treatment for vulvovaginal infections

Women with signs of urogenital system infections require diagnostic testing for timely and adequate verification of the pathogen and prescription of therapy considering pathogen eradication. However, the identification of specific pathogens in practice takes some time. Therefore, empirical therapy based on a subjective evaluation of the symptoms of vulvovaginal infections and assessment of drug susceptibility of pathogens is common in practical gynecology. At the same time, it is acceptable to use broad-spectrum agents that act on bacteria, fungi, and protozoa and do not contribute to the development of antibiotic resistance. These are topical antimicrobial agents – antiseptics. Objective. To study the efficacy of dequalinium chloride as first-line treatment of patients with signs of vulvovaginal non-inflammatory and inflammatory diseases initiated by opportunistic pathogens and aerobic bacteria. Patients and methods. The study included 74 women aged 18 to 45 years (31.4 ± 0.5 years) who were diagnosed with other inflammation of vagina and vulva (N76) or other non-inflammatory disorders of vagina (N89) based on their complaints and examination during an initial visit to a gynecologist. Prior to treatment, laboratory testing of the vaginal microflora by real-time polymerase chain reaction using the test Femoflor was performed, and empirical therapy with dequalinium chloride was applied. Subsequently, the results of laboratory tests before and after treatment were analyzed, as well as the dynamics of clinical manifestations of vulvovaginal infections against the background of therapy with topical antiseptic. Results. The prescription of dequalinium chloride as empirical therapy is effective for both elimination of the clinical manifestations of vulvovaginal infections and for normalization of the qualitative and quantitative composition of the vaginal microbiota at the outpatient appointment. Conclusion. Dequalinium chloride (Fluomisin®) may be recommended to women for correcting disorders of the vaginal microbiocenosis at their initial visit before the results of laboratory tests are obtained. © 2022, Dynasty Publishing House. All rights reserved.