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Journal of Women's Health (2002) Jan 2024Endometriosis is a common chronic disorder, which leads to dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, pelvic chronic pain, and infertility. It affects ∼6% to 10% of the general... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Endometriosis is a common chronic disorder, which leads to dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, pelvic chronic pain, and infertility. It affects ∼6% to 10% of the general female population. However, the etiology of endometriosis remained unclear. We aimed to systematically assess the association between pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and the risk of endometriosis. Eligible studies published until May 21, 2022, were retrieved from the PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases. The studies were included based on the following criteria: (1) original articles on the association between PID and risk of endometriosis; (2) randomized controlled trials and cross-sectional, case-control, and cohort studies; and (3) studies involving humans. The Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale was used to assess the quality of the studies included in this systematic review. The association between PID and risk of endometriosis was evaluated using the overall odds ratio (OR) and correlative 95% confidence interval (CI). The meta-analysis included 14 studies with 747,733 patients. The mean prevalence of PID in women with endometriosis was 33.80%. Our quantitative synthesis revealed that endometritis was associated with a significantly increased risk of endometriosis (OR: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.53-1.74, = 59%). We study a statistically significant association between PID and the risk of endometriosis. In particular, endometritis might play an important role in endometriosis, based on the lower heterogeneity of the subgroup analysis. This finding suggests that reducing the incidence of endometritis might aid in the prevention and treatment of endometriosis.
Topics: Female; Humans; Endometriosis; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease; Endometritis; Cross-Sectional Studies; Pelvic Pain
PubMed: 37851499
DOI: 10.1089/jwh.2023.0300 -
Contraception Oct 2023This study aimed to review clinical practice outcomes of early pregnancy loss (EPL) medical management using mifepristone and misoprostol outside of a clinical trial... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to review clinical practice outcomes of early pregnancy loss (EPL) medical management using mifepristone and misoprostol outside of a clinical trial setting.
STUDY DESIGN
In this retrospective cohort study, we reviewed a deidentified database of patients who received mifepristone-misoprostol for EPL from May 2018 to May 2021 at our academic center-based clinic, which was a study site for a multicenter mifepristone-misoprostol EPL trial completed in March 2018. All patients received mifepristone 200 mg orally and misoprostol 800 mcg vaginally or buccally, with clinic follow-up typically scheduled within 1 week. The primary outcome was successful medical management, defined as management without the need for aspiration, and the secondary outcomes included additional interventions and indications, follow-up ultrasonography findings, and adverse events requiring treatment.
RESULTS
We treated 90 patients with a median ultrasound-measured gestational size of 49 (range 30-80) days and median time from mifepristone to misoprostol of 24 (range 8-66) hours. Follow-up was completed in clinic by 80 (88.9%), completed remotely by five (5.6%), and not completed by five (5.6%) patients. Overall, 76 (95% CI 82.9%-96.0%) of 85 patients (89.4%) with follow-up were successfully managed without uterine aspiration. Eighty patients had initial follow-up ultrasonography interpreted as gestational sac expulsion; seven (8.8%) of these ultimately underwent aspiration, including one patient who had a previously undiagnosed cesarean scar ectopic pregnancy. Two patients had significant safety outcomes: one pelvic infection and one blood transfusion during aspiration in the patient with a cesarean scar ectopic pregnancy.
CONCLUSIONS
Outside of a clinical trial setting, medical management of EPL with mifepristone and misoprostol remains effective and safe.
IMPLICATIONS
Medical management of EPL with mifepristone and misoprostol is effective and safe outside of a clinical trial setting. A standardized protocol based on the best available clinical trial evidence can be used in clinical practice for the medical management of EPL.
Topics: Pregnancy; Female; Humans; Mifepristone; Misoprostol; Abortion, Spontaneous; Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal; Abortifacient Agents, Steroidal; Retrospective Studies; Cicatrix; Abortion, Induced; Pregnancy, Ectopic; Multicenter Studies as Topic
PubMed: 37524147
DOI: 10.1016/j.contraception.2023.110134 -
Clinical Infectious Diseases : An... Nov 2023Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) is on the CDC Watch List of Antimicrobial Resistance Threats, yet there is no systematic surveillance to monitor change.
BACKGROUND
Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) is on the CDC Watch List of Antimicrobial Resistance Threats, yet there is no systematic surveillance to monitor change.
METHODS
We initiated surveillance in sexual health clinics in 6 cities, selecting a quota sample of urogenital specimens tested for gonorrhea and/or chlamydia. We abstracted patient data from medical records and detected MG and macrolide-resistance mutations (MRMs) by nucleic acid amplification testing. We used Poisson regression to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) and 95% CIs, adjusting for sampling criteria (site, birth sex, symptom status).
RESULTS
From October-December 2020 we tested 1743 urogenital specimens: 57.0% from males, 46.1% from non-Hispanic Black persons, and 43.8% from symptomatic patients. MG prevalence was 16.6% (95% CI: 14.9-18.5%; site-specific range: 9.9-23.5%) and higher in St Louis (aPR: 1.9; 1.27-2.85), Greensboro (aPR: 1.8; 1.18-2.79), and Denver (aPR: 1.7; 1.12-2.44) than Seattle. Prevalence was highest in persons <18 years (30.4%) and declined 3% per each additional year of age (aPR: .97; .955-.982). MG was detected in 26.8%, 21.1%, 11.8%, and 15.4% of urethritis, vaginitis, cervicitis, and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), respectively. It was present in 9% of asymptomatic males and 15.4% of asymptomatic females, and associated with male urethritis (aPR: 1.7; 1.22-2.50) and chlamydia (aPR: 1.7; 1.13-2.53). MRM prevalence was 59.1% (95% CI: 53.1-64.8%; site-specific range: 51.3-70.6%). MRMs were associated with vaginitis (aPR: 1.8; 1.14-2.85), cervicitis (aPR: 3.5; 1.69-7.30), and PID cervicitis (aPR: 1.8; 1.09-3.08).
CONCLUSIONS
MG infection is common in persons at high risk of sexually transmitted infections; testing symptomatic patients would facilitate appropriate therapy. Macrolide resistance is high and azithromycin should not be used without resistance testing.
Topics: Female; Humans; Male; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Urethritis; Mycoplasma genitalium; Uterine Cervicitis; Sexual Health; Macrolides; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease; Vaginitis; Mycoplasma Infections; Prevalence
PubMed: 37402645
DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciad405 -
Frontiers in Surgery 2023
PubMed: 38152343
DOI: 10.3389/fsurg.2023.1344739 -
ACS Measurement Science Au Oct 2023Due to the increasing demand for clinical testing of infectious diseases at the point-of-care, the global market claims alternatives for rapid diagnosis tools such as...
Due to the increasing demand for clinical testing of infectious diseases at the point-of-care, the global market claims alternatives for rapid diagnosis tools such as disposable biosensors, avoiding the need for specialized laboratories and skilled personnel. Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is an infectious disease that commonly affects reproductive-age women and predisposes the infection of sexually transmitted diseases. Especially in asymptomatic cases, BV can lead to pelvic inflammatory conditions, postpartum endometritis, and preterm labor. Conventionally, BV diagnosis involves the microscopic analysis of vaginal swab samples; it thus requires highly trained personnel. In response, we report a novel microfluidic paper-based analytical device for BV diagnosis. Sialidase, a biomarker overexpressed in BV, was detected by exploiting an immunosensing mechanism previously discovered by our team. This technology employs a graphene oxide-coated surface as a quencher of fluorescence; the fluorescence of the immunoprobes that do not experiment immunoreactions (antibody-antigen) are deactivated by graphene oxide via non-radiative energy transfer, whereas those immunoprobes undergoing immunoreactions preserve their photoluminescence due to the distance and the low affinity between the immunocomplex and the graphene oxide-coated surface. Our paper-based test was typically carried out within 20 min, and the sample volume was 6 μL. Besides, it was tested with 14 vaginal swabs specimens to discriminate clinical samples of women with normal microbiota from those with BV. Our disposable device represents a new tool to prevent the consequences of BV.
PubMed: 37868361
DOI: 10.1021/acsmeasuresciau.3c00007 -
Life (Basel, Switzerland) Oct 2023In female patients, acute pelvic pain can be caused by gynaecological, gastrointestinal, and urinary tract pathologies. Due to the variety of diagnostic possibilities,... (Review)
Review
In female patients, acute pelvic pain can be caused by gynaecological, gastrointestinal, and urinary tract pathologies. Due to the variety of diagnostic possibilities, the correct assessment of these patients may be challenging. The most frequent gynaecological causes of acute pelvic pain in non-pregnant women are pelvic inflammatory disease, ruptured ovarian cysts, ovarian torsion, and degeneration or torsion of uterine leiomyomas. On the other hand, spontaneous abortion, ectopic pregnancy, and placental disorders are the most frequent gynaecological entities to cause acute pelvic pain in pregnant patients. Ultrasound (US) is usually the first-line diagnostic technique because of its sensitivity across most common aetiologies and its lack of radiation exposure. Computed tomography (CT) may be performed if ultrasound findings are equivocal or if a gynaecologic disease is not initially suspected. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an extremely useful second-line technique for further characterisation after US or CT. This pictorial review aims to review the spectrum of gynaecological entities that may manifest as acute pelvic pain in the emergency department and to describe the imaging findings of these gynaecological conditions obtained with different imaging techniques.
PubMed: 37895407
DOI: 10.3390/life13102025 -
Journal of Women's Health (2002) Jun 2024Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) continue to increase in the United States with more than 2.5 million cases of gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis reported to the... (Review)
Review
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) continue to increase in the United States with more than 2.5 million cases of gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2022. Untreated STIs in women can lead to adverse outcomes, including pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, chronic pelvic pain, and pregnancy complications such as ectopic pregnancy, early pregnancy loss, stillbirth, and neonatal transmission. STI-related guidelines can be complex and are frequently updated, making it challenging to stay informed on current guidance. This article provides high-yield updates to support clinicians managing STIs by highlighting changes in screening, diagnosis, and treatment. One important topic includes new guidance on syphilis screening, including a clarified description of high community rates of syphilis based on Healthy People 2030 goals, defined as a case rate of primary or secondary syphilis > 4.6 per 100,000. Reproductive aged persons living in counties above this threshold should be offered syphilis screening. Additionally, American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists now recommends syphilis screening three times during pregnancy regardless of risk-at the first prenatal visit, during the third trimester, and at delivery. In addition, new guidance to support consideration for extragenital screening for gonorrhea and chlamydia in women at sites such as the anus and pharynx is discussed. Other topics include the most recent chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, and pelvic inflammatory disease treatment recommendations; screening and treatment guidance for ; genital herpes screening indications and current diagnostic challenges; and the diagnosis and management of mpox in women and during pregnancy.
Topics: Humans; Female; Sexually Transmitted Diseases; Pregnancy; United States; Syphilis; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; Mass Screening; Chlamydia Infections; Gonorrhea; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Adult
PubMed: 38770770
DOI: 10.1089/jwh.2024.0367 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2023is the causative agent of gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted infection responsible for a major burden of disease with a high global prevalence. Protective immunity to... (Review)
Review
is the causative agent of gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted infection responsible for a major burden of disease with a high global prevalence. Protective immunity to infection is often not observed in humans, possible due to high variability of key antigens, induction of blocking antibodies, or a large number of infections being relatively superficial and not inducing a strong immune response. is a strictly human pathogen, however, studies using mouse models provide useful insights into the immune response to gonorrhea. In mice, appears to avoid a protective Th1 response by inducing a less protective Th17 response. In mouse models, candidate vaccines which provoke a Th1 response can accelerate the clearance of gonococcus from the mouse female genital tract. Human studies indicate that natural infection often induces a limited immune response, with modest antibody responses, which may correlate with the clinical severity of gonococcal disease. Studies of cytokine responses to gonococcal infection in humans provide conflicting evidence as to whether infection induces an IL-17 response. However, there is evidence for limited induction of protective immunity from a study of female sex workers in Kenya. A controlled human infection model (CHIM) has been used to examine the immune response to gonococcal infection in male volunteers, but has not to date demonstrated protection against re-infection. Correlates of protection for gonorrhea are lacking, which has hampered the progress towards developing a successful vaccine. However, the finding that the serogroup B vaccines, elicit cross-protection against gonorrhea has invigorated the gonococcal vaccine field. More studies of infection in humans, either natural infection or CHIM studies, are needed to understand better gonococcal protective immunity.
Topics: Humans; Female; Male; Animals; Mice; Neisseria gonorrhoeae; Gonorrhea; Sex Workers; Vaccine Development; Cross Protection; Disease Models, Animal
PubMed: 37662926
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1248613 -
Journal of Reproductive Immunology Dec 2023Chronic endometritis has a high incidence in infertile women, which is caused by endometrial microbiome infection. In response to microbial infection, the role of...
Chronic endometritis has a high incidence in infertile women, which is caused by endometrial microbiome infection. In response to microbial infection, the role of defensins during chronic endometritis need explored. Besides, the expression of estrogen and its receptors vary in different menstrual cycles, but their roles in chronic endometritis are still unclear. In this study, we used the human endometrial tissues to examine the expression of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) α-defensin hNP-1 and β-defensins hBD-1, hBD-2, hBD-3, hBD-4 and LCN2. We found the expression of hBD-1 and LCN2 were downregulated in endometritis tissues, while the expressions of hBD-2, hBD-3, hBD-4, hNP-1, and estrogen and ERα were upregulated in chronic endometritis tissues compared to normal tissues. The expression and phosphorylation of STING, which is a crucial mediator of mammalian innate immunity in response to pathogens, was regulated with the treatment of ERα inhibitor raloxifene (Rx). Furthermore, using with the estrogen receptor inhibitor Rx and STING inhibitor H-151 significantly decreases the LCN2 expression. Taken together, these results suggested ERα was upregulated to modulate STING expression inducing LCN2 antimicrobial peptide expression to modulate the mucosal immunity during chronic endometritis.
Topics: Animals; Female; Humans; Defensins; Down-Regulation; Endometritis; Estrogen Receptor alpha; Estrogens; Infertility, Female; Lipocalin-2; Mammals; Receptors, Estrogen
PubMed: 37952294
DOI: 10.1016/j.jri.2023.104167