About RVVC

Address recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (RVVC) head on

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a common disorder caused by an overgrowth of species of the fungus Candida.1-3 Nearly 75% of all adult women have had at least one yeast infection in their lifetime.1

A majority of VVC episodes can be effectively managed with FDA-approved treatments such as fluconazole.4 However, after completing treatment, recurrence rates have been reported to be 60-70%.5,6

While approximately half of women experience recurrence due to various factors, 6-9% develop RVVC, also known as chronic yeast infection. RVVC is a distinct condition from VVC and is defined as 3 or more episodes of VVC in one year. 1-3,7-10

RVVC is a debilitating infectious condition that is estimated to affect nearly 6 million women in the US annually.11

~70% of patients with RVVC experience VVC episodes for 1-3 weeks per year

*Estimated from a literature review analysis of 8 population-based studies reporting the prevalence in women with RVVC defined as 4 or more episodes per year.

The number of RVVC cases is expected to rise over time due to several factors, including1,2,12:

  • Growing population of healthy sexually active women
  • Increased use of hormone replacement therapy
  • Increase in resistant Candida species
  • Greater number of women with diabetes

RVVC is defined as 3 or more VVC episodes over a 12-month period.1

RVVC Impacts

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in 5 European countries and the United States among adult women who reported 4 or more yeast infections over 12 months (N=620).4 In this survey, 68% reported depression/anxiety problems during acute episodes and 54% reported depression/anxiety between episodes, compared to less than 20% of the general population (P<0.001).4

In the cross-sectional online survey, all SF-36 domain scores were lower for patients with RVVC than in the general population4

SF-36 is a validated questionnaire that describes the disease burden in terms of health-related quality of life compared to the general population.

In a separate survey of 206 adult women with RVVC,

76% of patients find recurrent vulvovaginal yeast infections to be distressing and impossible to ignore, impacting their ability to live a normal life.13

The primary symptoms of RVVC include1,3,4:

Vaginal itching

Vaginal inflammation

Painful urination

Vaginal burning

Abnormal vaginal discharge

Discomfort

Vaginal irritation

Painful sexual intercourse

Pain

RVVC impacts women not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. Though the physical symptoms are upsetting, the emotional and psychological consequences of a recurrent infection can be even more debilitating. Some women experience4,13:

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Mental fatigue
  • Insecurity
  • Stress
  • Psychological burden

Women living with RVVC may feel uncomfortable discussing it with a healthcare provider (HCP). Your patients’ day-to-day routines may be impacted in multiple ways.

Difficulty performing at work4,14

Avoided intimacy13-15

Diet modifications13

Limits in exercising4,13

Expensive medical bills16

Encourage your patients to discuss openly and honestly any physical, emotional, or mental impacts they experience so you can work together to fight RVVC. Use the questions below to help start the conversation:

See the daily impact of living with RVVC

References: 1. Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC). Centers for Disease Control. Accessed October 5, 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment-guidelines/candidiasis.htm. 2. Sobel JD. Recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2016;214(1):15-21. 3. Zeng X, Zhang Y, Zhang T, Xue Y, Xu H, An R. Risk factors of vulvovaginal candidiasis among women of reproductive age in Xi'an: a cross-sectional study. Biomed Res Int. 2018:9703754. 4. Aballéa S, Guelfucci F, Wagner J, et al. Subjective health status and health-related quality of life among women with recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (RVVC) in Europe and the USA. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2013;11:169. 5. Sobel JD, Weisenfeld HC, Martens M, et al. Maintenance fluconazole therapy for recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis. N Engl J Med. 2004;351(9):876-883. 6. Boulouri F, et al. Effectiveness of fluconazole for suppressive maintenance therapy in patients with RVVC: a randomized placebo-controlled study. Iran J Pharm Res. 2009;8(4):307-313. 7. Hurley R, De Louvois J. Candida vaginitis. Postgrad Med J. 1979;55:645-647. 8. Yano J, Sobel JD, Nyirjesy P, et al. Current patient perspectives of vulvovaginal candidiasis: incidence, symptoms, management, and post-treatment outcomes. BMC Women’s Health. 2019;19:48. 9. Foxman B, Barlow R, D’Arcy H, Gillespie B, Sobel JD. Candida vaginitis: self-reported incidence and associated cost. Sex Transm Dis. 2000;27(4):230-235. 10. Foxman B, Muraglia R, Dietz JP, Sobel JD, Wagner J. Prevalence of recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis in 5 European countries and the United States: results from an internet panel survey. J Low Genit Tract Dis. 2013;17(3):340-345. 11. Denning DW, Kneale M, Sobel JD, Rautemaa-Richardson R. Global burden of recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis: a systematic review. Lancet Infect Dis. 2018;18(11):e339-e347. 12. Guzel AB, Ilkit M, Akar T, Burgut R, Demir SC. Evaluation of risk factors in patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis and the value of chromID Candida agar versus CHROMagar Candida for recovery and presumptive identification of vaginal yeast species. Med Mycol. 2011;49:e16-e25. 13. Data on File, Mycovia Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 14. Nyirjesy P, Peyton C, Weitz MV, Matthew L, Culhane JF. Cause of chronic vaginitis: analysis of a prospective database of affected women. Obstet Gynecol. 2006;108(5):1185-1191. 15. Irving G, Miller D, Robinson A, Reynolds S, Copas AJ. Psychological factors associated with recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis: a preliminary study. Sex Transm Inf. 1998;75(5):334-338. 16. Benedict K, Jackson BR, Chiller T, Beer KD. Estimation of direct healthcare cost in the United States. Clin Infect Dis. 2019;68(11):e1791-e1797.