Remission, Relapse, and Persistence of Vulvodynia: A Longitudinal Population-Based Study

Background: Vulvodynia has been considered to be a chronic disorder. We sought to estimate the probability of and risk factors for remission, relapse, and persistence among women screening positive for vulvodynia. Methods: Survey-based assessment in a longitudinal population-based study of women (the Woman to Woman Health Study) who screened positive for vulvodynia and completed at least four follow-up surveys. Outcome measures included remission without relapse, relapse (after remission), and persistence of a positive vulvodynia screen. Multinomial regression was used to assess factors associated with outcomes. Results: Of 441 women screening positive for vulvodynia during the study, 239 completed 4 additional surveys. Of these, 23 (9.6%) had consistently positive vulvodynia screens, 121 (50.6%) remitted without relapse, and 95 (39.7%) relapsed following remission. Overall, factors associated with both relapse and persistence (compared with remission alone) included increased severity of pain ever (p < 0.001) or after intercourse (p = 0.03), longer duration of symptoms (p <= 0.001), and screening positive for fibromyalgia (p < 0.001). Factors associated with persistence (but not relapse) included more severe symptoms with intercourse (p = 0.001) and pain with oral sex (p = 0.003) or partner touch (p = 0.04). Factors associated with relapse (but not persistence) included having provoked pain (p = 0.001) or screening positive for interstitial cystitis (p = 0.05) at first positive vulvodynia screen. Demographic characteristics, age at pain onset, and whether vulvodynia was primary or secondary did not predict outcome. Conclusion: Remission of vulvodynia symptoms is common with approximately half of remitters experiencing a relapse within 6-30 months. Persistence without remission is the exception rather than the rule. Pain history and comorbid conditions were associated with the more severe outcomes of relapse and/or persistence compared with those who remitted only. These findings provide further support that vulvodynia is heterogeneous and often occurs in an episodic pattern.