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Updated: Jul 14, 2026

Demonstration of Cutaneous Allodynia in Association with Chronic Pelvic Pain
Published on: June 23, 2009
Is localized, provoked vulvodynia an inflammatory condition?
Lois J Eva1, Kerstin J Rolfe, Allan B MacLean
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Royal Free and University College Medical School, Royal Free Campus, London, UK.
Objective:
To perform a pilot study to investigate the relationship between localized, provoked vulvodynia of the vestibule and inflammatory cytokine expression.
Study Design:
Women with a diagnosis of localized, provoked vulvodynia had tissue samples taken for vulvar expression of Interleukin 1alpha and 1beta and tumor necrosis factor alpha and compared to those of a control group.
Results:
The study group did not show a significant increase in expression of inflammatory markers.
Conclusion:
There was no evidence in this study that localized, provoked vulvodynia is an inflammatory condition, as previously thought. This may be helpful in explaining why some women are resistant to medical or antiinflammatory treatment and may allow treatment to be prescribed more effectively.
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