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Annals of Internal Medicine Jul 2007Chlamydial infection is the most common sexually transmitted bacterial infection in the United States, with an estimated 3 million new cases annually. In 2001, the U.S.... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Chlamydial infection is the most common sexually transmitted bacterial infection in the United States, with an estimated 3 million new cases annually. In 2001, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended that clinicians screen all sexually active women at increased risk for infection for Chlamydia trachomatis.
PURPOSE
To summarize a systematic evidence review commissioned by the USPSTF in preparation for an update of its 2001 recommendation.
DATA SOURCES
English-language articles identified in PubMed between July 2000 and July 2005. Additional articles were identified by bibliographic reviews and discussions with experts. A total of 452 articles were identified.
STUDY SELECTION
Explicit inclusion and exclusion criteria were used for each of 3 key questions. For studies of screening in nonpregnant women at increased risk, review was limited to randomized, controlled trials. For other groups, both randomized, controlled studies and nonrandomized, prospective, controlled studies were included.
DATA ABSTRACTION
Using standardized forms, staff of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality abstracted data on study design, setting, sample, randomization, blinding, results, and harms.
DATA SYNTHESIS
Only 1 new study met inclusion criteria. This poor-quality study of the effectiveness of screening for chlamydial infection among nonpregnant women at increased risk found that screening was associated with a lower prevalence of chlamydial infection and fewer reported cases of pelvic inflammatory disease at 1-year follow-up.
LIMITATIONS
No new evidence was found on screening in pregnant women, nonpregnant women not at increased risk, or men.
CONCLUSIONS
A systematic review found a small amount of new evidence to inform the USPSTF as it updates its recommendations regarding screening for chlamydial infection. There are large gaps in the evidence about screening men to improve health outcomes in women.
Topics: Adolescent; Chlamydia Infections; Cost of Illness; Evidence-Based Medicine; Female; Health Services Needs and Demand; Health Services Research; Humans; Male; Mass Screening; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; Risk Factors; United States
PubMed: 17576995
DOI: 10.7326/0003-4819-147-2-200707170-00173 -
BMC Public Health Sep 2006Chlamydia trachomatis is a common sexually transmitted infection that can have serious consequences. It is universally agreed that screening for chlamydia infection... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Chlamydia trachomatis is a common sexually transmitted infection that can have serious consequences. It is universally agreed that screening for chlamydia infection should be offered to sexually active young women. We undertook a literature review to document the views, attitudes and opinions of women about being screened, tested and diagnosed with Chlamydia trachomatis.
METHODS
Online databases (MEDLINE, Meditext, PsycINFO, Web of Science) and reference lists searched up to August 2005. Search terms: chlamydia, attitude, attitude to health, interview, qualitative, women.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
about chlamydia, included women, involved interviews/surveys/focus groups, looked at women's views/opinions/attitudes, published in English. Thematic analysis identified the main and recurrent themes emerging from the literature. We compared our thematic analysis with the Theory of Planned Behaviour to provide a model that could assist in planning chlamydia screening programs.
RESULTS
From 561 identified articles, 25 fulfilled inclusion criteria and were reviewed. 22: USA, UK; 3: Holland, Sweden, Australia. Major themes identified: need for knowledge and information, choice and support; concerns about confidentiality, cost, fear, anxiety and stigma. Women are more likely to find chlamydia screening/testing acceptable if they think chlamydia is a serious, common condition which can cause infertility and if they understand that chlamydia infection can be asymptomatic. Women want a range of options for chlamydia testing including urine tests, self-administered swabs, pelvic exams and clinician-collected swabs, home-testing and community-based testing. Tests should be free, easy and quick. Women want support for dealing with the implications of a chlamydia diagnosis, they feel chlamydia diagnoses need to be normalised and destigmatised and they want assistance with partner notification. Women need to know that their confidentiality will be maintained.
CONCLUSION
Our review found that women from various countries and ethnic backgrounds share similar views regarding chlamydia screening, testing and diagnosis. The acknowledged importance of women's views in planning an effective chlamydia screening program is expanded in this review which details the nature and complexity of such views and considers their likely impact.
Topics: Attitude to Health; Chlamydia Infections; Chlamydia trachomatis; Female; Health Plan Implementation; Humans; Internationality; Mass Screening; Women's Health Services
PubMed: 16948838
DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-6-221 -
Sexually Transmitted Infections Jun 2006To review systematically and critically, evidence used to derive estimates of costs and cost effectiveness of chlamydia screening. (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
To review systematically and critically, evidence used to derive estimates of costs and cost effectiveness of chlamydia screening.
METHODS
Systematic review. A search of 11 electronic bibliographic databases from the earliest date available to August 2004 using keywords including chlamydia, pelvic inflammatory disease, economic evaluation, and cost. We included studies of chlamydia screening in males and/or females over 14 years, including studies of diagnostic tests, contact tracing, and treatment as part of a screening programme. Outcomes included cases of chlamydia identified and major outcomes averted. We assessed methodological quality and the modelling approach used.
RESULTS
Of 713 identified papers we included 57 formal economic evaluations and two cost studies. Most studies found chlamydia screening to be cost effective, partner notification to be an effective adjunct, and testing with nucleic acid amplification tests, and treatment with azithromycin to be cost effective. Methodological problems limited the validity of these findings: most studies used static models that are inappropriate for infectious diseases; restricted outcomes were used as a basis for policy recommendations; and high estimates of the probability of chlamydia associated complications might have overestimated cost effectiveness. Two high quality dynamic modelling studies found opportunistic screening to be cost effective but poor reporting or uncertainty about complication rates make interpretation difficult.
CONCLUSION
The inappropriate use of static models to study interventions to prevent a communicable disease means that uncertainty remains about whether chlamydia screening programmes are cost effective or not. The results of this review can be used by health service managers in the allocation of resources, and health economists and other researchers who are considering further research in this area.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Bacteriological Techniques; Chlamydia Infections; Chlamydia trachomatis; Contact Tracing; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Female; Humans; Male; Mass Screening; Middle Aged
PubMed: 16731666
DOI: 10.1136/sti.2005.017517 -
BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.) Apr 2006To evaluate factors predisposing women to chronic and recurrent pelvic pain. DESIGN, DATA SOURCES, AND METHODS: Systematic review of relevant studies without language... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate factors predisposing women to chronic and recurrent pelvic pain. DESIGN, DATA SOURCES, AND METHODS: Systematic review of relevant studies without language restrictions identified through Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library. SCISEARCH, conference papers, and bibliographies of retrieved primary and review articles. Two reviewers independently extracted data on study characteristics, quality, and results. Exposure to risk factors was compared between women with and without pelvic pain. Results were pooled within subgroups defined by type of pain and risk factors.
RESULTS
There were 122 studies (in 111 articles) of which 63 (in 64,286 women) evaluated 54 risk factors for dysmenorrhoea, 19 (in 18,601 women) evaluated 14 risk factors for dyspareunia, and 40 (in 12,040 women) evaluated 48 factors for non-cyclical pelvic pain. Age < 30 years, low body mass index, smoking, earlier menarche (< 12 years), longer cycles, heavy menstrual flow, nulliparity, premenstrual syndrome, sterilisation, clinically suspected pelvic inflammatory disease, sexual abuse, and psychological symptoms were associated with dysmenorrhoea. Younger age at first childbirth, exercise, and oral contraceptives were negatively associated with dysmenorrhoea. Menopause, pelvic inflammatory disease, sexual abuse, anxiety, and depression were associated with dyspareunia. Drug or alcohol abuse, miscarriage, heavy menstrual flow, pelvic inflammatory disease, previous caesarean section, pelvic pathology, abuse, and psychological comorbidity were associated with an increased risk of non-cyclical pelvic pain.
CONCLUSION
Several gynaecological and psychosocial factors are strongly associated with chronic pelvic pain. Randomised controlled trials of interventions targeting these potentially modifiable factors are needed to assess their clinical relevance in chronic pelvic pain.
Topics: Chronic Disease; Dysmenorrhea; Dyspareunia; Female; Humans; Pelvic Pain; Regression Analysis; Risk Factors
PubMed: 16484239
DOI: 10.1136/bmj.38748.697465.55 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... 2004Endometriosis is a common gynaecological condition which affects approximately 10% of women of reproductive age (Askenazi 1997). There is a range of symptoms and most... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Endometriosis is a common gynaecological condition which affects approximately 10% of women of reproductive age (Askenazi 1997). There is a range of symptoms and most commonly women present with dysmenorrhoea, pelvic pain, infertility or a pelvic mass. Direct visualisation and biopsy during laparoscopy or laparotomy is the gold standard diagnostic test for this condition and enables the gynaecologist to identify the location, extent and severity of the disease. Surgical therapy can be performed concurrently with diagnostic surgery and may include removal (excision) or destruction (ablation) of endometriotic tissue, division of adhesions and removal of endometriotic cysts. Laparoscopic excision or ablation of endometriosis has been shown to be effective in the management of pain in mild-moderate endometriosis. Adjunctive medical treatment pre or post-operatively may prolong the symptom-free interval.
OBJECTIVES
To determine the effectiveness of systemic medical therapies used for hormonal suppression before or after surgery for endometriosis, or before and after surgery for endometriosis in the eradication of endometriosis, improvement of symptoms, pregnancy rates and overall tolerability by comparing them with no treatment or placebo.
SEARCH STRATEGY
We searched the Cochrane Menstrual Disorders and Subfertility group trials register (searched 10 September 2003), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library Issue 3 2003), MEDLINE (January 1966 to September 2003), EMBASE (January 1985 to September 2003) and reference lists of articles. We also contacted researchers in the field.
SELECTION CRITERIA
Trials were included if they were randomised controlled trials of the use of systemic medical therapies for hormonal suppression before or after, or before and after surgery for endometriosis.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Data extraction and quality assessment was performed independently by using relative risk or weighted mean difference and 95% confidence intervals.
MAIN RESULTS
Eleven trials were included in the review. One study comparing pre-surgical medical therapy with surgery alone showed a significant improvement in AFS scores in the medical therapy group (WMD -9.60, 95% CI -11.42 to -7.78) but this may or may not be associated with better outcomes for the patients. Post surgical hormonal suppression of endometriosis compared to surgery alone (either no medical therapy or placebo) showed no benefit for the outcomes of pain or pregnancy rates but a significant improvement in disease recurrence (AFS scores (WMD -2.30, 95% CI -4.02 to -0.58)). There were no trials identified in the search that compared hormonal suppression of endometriosis before and after surgery with surgery alone. There is no significant difference between pre surgery hormonal suppression and post surgery hormonal suppression for the outcome of pain in the one trial identified (RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.49 to 2.07). Information concerning AFS scores and ease of surgery was reported only as a descriptive summary so any difference between the groups can not be quantified from the information in the report of this trial.
REVIEWERS' CONCLUSIONS
There is insufficient evidence from the studies identified to conclude that hormonal suppression in association with surgery for endometriosis is associated with a significant benefit with regard to any of the outcomes identified. There may be a benefit of improvement in AFS scores with the pre-surgical use of medical therapy. The possible benefit should be weighed in the context of the adverse effects and costs of these therapies.
Topics: Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; Endometriosis; Female; Hormones; Humans; Postoperative Period; Preoperative Care; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 15266496
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003678.pub2 -
Digestion 2004While the regular and symmetric innervation of the pelvic floor has been regarded as "established" for many years, recent data indicate that asymmetry of innervation of... (Review)
Review
UNLABELLED
While the regular and symmetric innervation of the pelvic floor has been regarded as "established" for many years, recent data indicate that asymmetry of innervation of the sphincters may exists and may contribute to the occurrence and severity of incontinence symptoms in case of pelvic floor trauma.
METHODS
A systematic review of published papers on asymmetry of sphincter innervation was performed including studies in healthy volunteers and patients with incontinence. 234 consecutive patients with fecal incontinence were investigated by means of side-separated mass surface EMG from the left and right side anal canal, these data were correlated to clinical and anamnestic findings.
RESULTS
The literature survey indicates that asymmetry of sphincter innervation exists in a subgroup of healthy male and female volunteers, and may be a risk factor to become incontinent in case of trauma. Patients with incontinence in whom asymmetry of sphincter innervation could be shown more frequently reported a history of pelvic floor trauma during childbirth. Childbirth per se but not the number of deliveries predicted sphincter asymmetry. Asymmetrically innervated sphincters show a compromised sphincter function in routine anorectal manometry.
CONCLUSION
Assessment of sphincter innervation asymmetry may be of value in clinical routine testing of patients with incontinence. However, a new technology is needed to replace mass surface EMG by multi-electrode arrays on a sphincter probe. This is one of the goals of the EU-sponsored research project OASIS.
Topics: Electric Stimulation; Electromyography; Fecal Incontinence; Female; Humans; Male; Motor Neurons; Neurons, Afferent; Pelvic Floor; Urinary Incontinence
PubMed: 15087577
DOI: 10.1159/000077876