Periurethral vs Intravaginal Estrogen for Prevention of Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections (TAPER)

August 31, 2026 updated by: Stephanie Wang Zuo

Periurethral vs Intravaginal Estrogen for Prevention of Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections: TAPER (Techniques of APplying Vaginal Estrogen for Prevention of Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections) Trial

Due to rising antibiotic resistance, there has been a focus on non-antibiotic prophylactic measures for postmenopausal patients with recurrent urinary tract infections (rUTI), one of which is the safe and efficacious option of vaginal estrogen therapy. Standard application of vaginal estrogen cream entails intravaginal application of the cream twice a week, but some providers counsel patients with rUTI to apply a small, pea-sized amount to the periurethral area. This ideally reduces the amount of vaginal estrogen used while attaining a similar effect. However, to date, there is no data to prove that the periurethral technique of application is similar or non-inferior to intravaginal application in preventing UTI.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
114

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Pennsylvania
      • Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, United States, 16066
        • UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex
      • Erie, Pennsylvania, United States, 16550
        • UPMC Hamot
      • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 15213
        • University of Pittsburgh Medical Center-Magee Womens Hospital
      • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 15237
        • UPMC Passavant-McCandless

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Postmenopausal (definition: No menses for 1 or more years or surgical menopause (bilateral oophorectomy). If there is a past history of hysterectomy, patient must be age 56 or older (95th percentile for age at menopause) or have laboratory evidence of menopause (ie. FSH >30)
  • Meets criteria for recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) with 2 or more UTI in 6 months or 3 or more UTI in 1 year
  • May include patients who used vaginal estrogen previously if they have stopped use for 3 or more months prior to inclusion into study.
  • Patients must be recommended vaginal estrogen as part of normal clinical care for prevention of recurrent UTI

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Current use of vaginal or oral estrogen products
  • Inability or refusal to use vaginal estrogen
  • Daily antibiotic use
  • Significant vaginal stenosis (eg. due to lichen sclerosis, radiation or obliterative prolapse surgery) that would prohibit use of a vaginal applicator (ie. genital hiatus <1cm)
  • Inability to use vaginal applicator and without caregiver who can administer (eg. provider-managed pessary use, significant arthritis)
  • Frequent (1x weekly or more frequent) use of bladder instillations containing an antibiotic
  • Known hydronephrosis as a result of incomplete bladder emptying
  • Use of intermittent or indwelling urinary catheterization
  • Known bladder stones, mesh erosion into bladder, or foreign object in bladder
  • Unable to consent for self
  • Active treatment for an estrogen-dependent malignancy

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Active Comparator: Intravaginal Estrogen Application

Intravaginal application of 1 gram estradiol cream at bedtime twice a week for 6 months
Drug: Intravaginal application of estradiol cream

The control group will apply 1 gram estradiol cream intravaginally using an applicator.
Experimental: Periurethral Estrogen Application

Periurethral application of 0.5 gram estradiol cream at bedtime twice a week for 6 months
Drug: Periurethral application of estradiol cream

The experimental group will apply estradiol cream in a different location (periurethral) and at a smaller dose (0.5 gram) compared to the control group.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Percentage of Participants Who Are UTI-free at 6 Months
Time Frame: 6 months

The primary outcome was the percentage of participants who were UTI-free at 6 months after study drug initiation.
6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change From Baseline in Urinary Symptoms at 6 Months
Time Frame: Baseline, 6 months

Questionnaire assessment of urinary symptoms and symptom distress (Urogenital Distress Inventory, Short Form), total score range 0-100 with higher numbers representing worse urinary symptoms
Baseline, 6 months
Change From Baseline in Sexual Function at 6 Months
Time Frame: Baseline, 6 months

Questionnaire assessment of sexual function (Female Sexual Function Index-6) with scores ranging from 2 to 30, with 19 and below denoting sexual dysfunction.
Baseline, 6 months
Change From Baseline in Vaginal pH at 6 Months
Time Frame: Baseline, 6 months

Assessment using pH strips during pelvic examination
Baseline, 6 months
Participant Experience With Study Drug
Time Frame: 6 months

Agreement with the statement: "I am satisfied with the estrogen cream." (Positive response of "agree" or "strongly agree" on 5-point Likert Scale)
6 months
Vaginal Maturation Value
Time Frame: 3 months

Vaginal maturation value at 3 months (score 0-100, higher values correlating with greater vaginal estrogenization)
3 months
Average Amount of Estrogen Used Per Tube
Time Frame: 6 months

Study drug tubes were weighed at baseline and then at follow-up visits (weight in grams) and the average amount of study drug used per tube was calculated.
6 months
Percentage of Participants With Lactobacillus Crispatus Positive Vaginal Specimens
Time Frame: 6 months

Lactobacillus crispatus is a species of Lactobacillus known to assist with UTI prevention through the maintenance of an acidic environment. It generally is elevated in the vagina in the presence of estrogen.
6 months
Percentage of Participants With E. Coli Positive Vaginal Specimens
Time Frame: 6 months

E. coli is a common uropathogen and thus was investigated in the pilot translational sub-aim of this research study.
6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Stephanie Wang Zuo

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Stephanie W Zuo, MD, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
January 3, 2023

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
June 15, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
June 25, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
July 21, 2022

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 21, 2022

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
July 25, 2022

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
September 24, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 31, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • STUDY22010147

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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