• Linn Woelber, Katharina Prieske, Werner Mendling, Barbara Schmalfeldt, Hans-Jürgen Tietz, and Anna Jaeger.
• Department of Gynecology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; German Center for Infections in Gynecology and Obstetrics, Wuppertal, Germany; Institute of Fungal Disease and Internal Medicine, Mycoclinic Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
• Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2020 Feb 21; 116 (8): 126-133.

BackgroundIn Germany, 17-23% of the population suffers from chronic itching of the skin; in 5-10% of cases, the female genitalia are affected, specifically, the vulva. Vulvar pruritus is thus a common symptom that often markedly impairs the affected women's quality of life.MethodsThis review is based on pertinent publications that were retrieved by a selective search in MEDLINE/PubMed for articles on the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of vul- var pruritus. The search terms were (in German and English) "vulvärer Juckreiz," "pruritus vulvae," and "genital itch," alone and in combination with "Behandlung," "Therapie," or "treat- ment."ResultsThe most common cause of vulvar pruritus is vulvo- vaginal candidiasis followed by chronic dermatoses, such as lichen sclerosus and vulvar eczema. Especially in refractory cases, an invasive or preinvasive lesion such as squamous epithelial dysplasia (VIN, vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia) should be borne in mind in the differential diagnosis. Rarer causes include infection, atrophy, and vulvodynia. The essen- tial elements of treatment are topical/oral antimycotic drugs and high-potency glucocorticoids, along with consistently ap- plied, basic moisturizing care and the avoidance of potential triggering factors.ConclusionAs vulvar pruritus has multiple causes, standard- ization of its diagnostic evaluation and treatment would be l efficacy and to meet the diverse needs of women who suffer from this condition.

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