Table 2.
Collagen Content in Vaginal Mucosa and Muscularis From Cream-Adherent Women Treated With Placebo or Estrogen
| Placebo (n = 12) | Estrogen (n = 8) | Fold Difference | P Value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vaginal mucosa | ||||
| Collagen (immature soluble) | 3.6 (1.0) | 4.1 (1.18) | 1.1 | .77 |
| Collagen (denatured) | 1.7 (0.4, 6.8) | 0.8 (0.0, 2.7) | 0.5 | .42 |
| Collagen (mature cross-linked) | 105.7 (26.4) | 118.4 (29.4) | 1.1 | .77 |
| Total collagen | 112.9 (26.7) | 124.6 (31.4) | 1.1 | .79 |
| Mature collagen, %) | 92.3 | 95.3 | 1.0 | |
| Vaginal muscularis | ||||
| Collagen (immature soluble) | 5.8 (2.9, 16.0) | 20.6 (4.9, 26.2) | 3.5 | .17 |
| Collagen (denatured) | 2.8 (1.3, 7.9) | 10.6 (2.5, 16.8) | 3.7 | .17 |
| Collagen (mature cross-linked) | 78.0 (25.8) | 260.7 (139.7) | 3.3 | .13 |
| Total collagen | 95.0 (29.9) | 302.6 (146.1) | 3.2 | .10a |
| Mature collagen, % | 82.4 | 82.5 | 1.0 | |
Data are mean (SE) or median (interquartile interval) and presented as milligrams collagen fractions per milligrams epithelium (vaginal mucosa) or muscularis (vaginal muscularis) wet weight relative to average thickness of epithelium (vaginal mucosa) or muscularis (vaginal muscularis) in the placebo controls. Total collagen values are a summation of collagen fraction means and may not equal the sum of column values as medians are reported for nonparametric data.
a
t(18) = 1.69 (P = .10).