Amitriptyline for the treatment of vulvodynia in patients with vulvar lichen sclerosus: a case series of 20 patients

Abstract

Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus (VLS) is a chronic autoimmune disease that often leads to vulvodynia, a debilitating chronic pain condition in the vulvar region. Treating vulvodynia in the context of VLS presents a significant therapeutic challenge due to the lack of standardized protocols. This article presents a case series of 20 women treated with amitriptyline for vulvodynia secondary to VLS, accompanied by an extended review of the literature. The results suggest that amitriptyline may offer significant pain relief and improvements in the patients’ quality of life, although adverse effects need to be carefully managed. Further studies are needed to validate these findings in larger controlled trials.