Chen Yi-Chun, Chiang Yi-Fen, Huang Ko-Chieh, Wang Kai-Lee, Huang Yun-Ju, Shieh Tzong-Ming, Ali Mohamed, Hsia Shih-Min
School of Nutrition and Health Sciences, College of Nutrition, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110301, Taiwan.
Department of Family and Community Medicine, Cheng Hsin General Hospital, Taipei 112401, Taiwan.
Microorganisms. 2025 Jun 5;13(6):1317. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms13061317.
The vaginal microbiota, a critical determinant of women's health, is influenced by hormonal and metabolic parameters across the lifespan. While species are beneficial markers of vaginal health, microbial composition undergoes pronounced alterations after menopause. This study aimed to elucidate the associations between vaginal microbiota composition, vaginal pH, menopausal status, and metabolic parameters in Asian women. Vaginal secretion samples were collected from 40 women (20 premenopausal, 20 postmenopausal). Full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to characterize the microbiota, categorized into Community State Types (CSTs): CST-I + II (/, protective), CST-III (, neutral), and CST-IV (anaerobic bacteria, harmful). Vaginal pH and clinical data were assessed in relation to microbial profiles. CST distribution differed significantly by menopausal status and vaginal pH. Harmful-type CST-IV was more prevalent in postmenopausal women (70% vs. 40%, < 0.05), while CST-III was dominant in premenopausal women (45% vs. 5%). CST-IV was associated with elevated pH (median 6.00, = 0.026) and increased abundance of anaerobes including , , , , and . Oral antibiotic use reduced both beneficial and harmful CSTs, shifting toward neutral CST-III (75%, = 0.048). Use of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors in postmenopausal women was associated with a higher prevalence of protective CST-I + II (57.14% vs. 8.33%, < 0.05), though no significant impact on pathogen presence was observed. This study highlights the dynamic interplay between menopausal status, metabolic interventions, and vaginal microbiota composition. Findings may inform targeted strategies to maintain vaginal health in aging populations.
阴道微生物群是女性健康的关键决定因素,在整个生命周期中受激素和代谢参数的影响。虽然某些物种是阴道健康的有益标志,但绝经后微生物组成会发生显著变化。本研究旨在阐明亚洲女性阴道微生物群组成、阴道pH值、绝经状态和代谢参数之间的关联。从40名女性(20名绝经前、20名绝经后)收集阴道分泌物样本。使用全长16S rRNA基因测序来表征微生物群,分为群落状态类型(CSTs):CST-I + II(/,保护性)、CST-III(,中性)和CST-IV(厌氧菌,有害)。评估了与微生物谱相关的阴道pH值和临床数据。CST分布因绝经状态和阴道pH值而有显著差异。有害型CST-IV在绝经后女性中更为普遍(70%对40%,<0.05),而CST-III在绝经前女性中占主导地位(45%对5%)。CST-IV与pH值升高(中位数6.00,=0.026)以及包括、、、和在内的厌氧菌丰度增加有关。口服抗生素使用减少了有益和有害的CSTs,向中性CST-III转变(75%,=0.048)。绝经后女性使用钠-葡萄糖协同转运蛋白-2(SGLT2)抑制剂与保护性CST-I + II的较高患病率相关(57.14%对8.33%,<0.05),尽管未观察到对病原体存在的显著影响。本研究强调了绝经状态、代谢干预和阴道微生物群组成之间的动态相互作用。研究结果可能为维持老年人群阴道健康的针对性策略提供信息。
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