TAPER (Techniques of APplying vaginal Estrogen for prevention of Recurrent urinary tract infections)

STUDY BASICS

Are you a postmenopausal woman who has had multiple urinary tract infections (UTI) over the past year? You may be eligible for a research study looking at the effects of estrogen cream in the vagina on preventing urinary tract infections. Compensation is provided.

STUDY PURPOSE

Vaginal estrogen is the only nonantibiotic medication with a Grade A recommendation for preventing recurrent UTIs in older women.  The purpose of this research study is to see whether location and dose of vaginal estrogen cream has an influence on its effectiveness on preventing urinary tract infections. 

COULD THIS STUDY BE RIGHT FOR YOU?

• Postmenopausal woman
• Recurrent urinary tract infections (rUTI) -   2 or more UTI in 6 months or 3 or more UTI in 1 year
• Have not used an estrogen-containing prescription medication in the past 3 months

WHAT PARTICIPANTS CAN EXPECT

If you are interested, you would be randomized either to applying the estrogen cream around the urethra or in the vagina. We will plan to follow you for 6 months, with a 3-month follow-up visit and a 6-month follow-up visit.  During these visits, some vaginal swabs and a clean catch urine sample will be collected. You will also answer several survey questionnaires.