Dysregulation in Sphingolipid Signaling Pathways is Associated With Symptoms and Functional Connectivity of Pain Processing Brain Regions in Provoked Vestibulodynia.

ABSTRACT: Provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) is a chronic pain disorder characterized by local hypersensitivity and severe pain with pressure localized to the vulvar vestibule. Despite decades of study, the lack of identified biomarkers has slowed the development of effective therapies. The primary aim of this study was to use metabolomics to identify novel biochemical mechanisms in vagina and blood underlying brain biomarkers and symptoms in PVD, thereby closing this knowledge gap. Using a cross-sectional case-control observational study design, untargeted and unbiased metabolomic profiling of vaginal fluid and plasma was performed in women with PVD compared to healthy controls. In women with PVD, we also obtained assessments of vulvar pain, vestibular and vaginal muscle tenderness, and 24-hour symptom

SUBMITTER: Labus JS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10460622 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature