Direct medical cost of pelvic inflammatory disease and its sequelae: decreasing, but still substantial

Association of Neighborhood Economic Status and Race With Developing Pelvic Inflammatory Disease After Sexually Transmitted Infections

OBJECTIVE

To explore the association of neighborhood-level socioeconomic status (SES) and race with developing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) after sexually transmitted infection (STI) among female adolescents and young adults in Maryland.

METHODS

We used Maryland statewide hospital claims data (outpatient and inpatient visits) for this retrospective cohort study. Female adolescents and young adults aged 15-24 years who had at least one STI from July 1, 2013, to March 31, 2015, were included. A participant entered the cohort on the date of the first STI diagnosis and was followed up until PID occurrence or 3 years after the first STI. Median household income of the participant's residential ZIP code tabulation area was used as the neighborhood-level SES. Discrete-time hazard models were used to estimate the hazard of PID.

RESULTS

Of the 2,873 participants, 88.5% were of Black race, and 67.2% were aged 20-24 years. The hazard of PID after an STI among Black women was 1.40 times that of White women (95% CI 1.06-1.85). After adjustment for age, insurance type, and number of STI events, the hazard ratio (HR) did not change. However, adding neighborhood-level SES to the model attenuated the disparity in PID after STI between Black and White women (HR 1.25, 95% CI 0.94-1.67).

CONCLUSION

Racial disparities in PID diagnosis are mitigated by neighborhood-level SES.

The effect of anterior uterocervical angle (aUCA) and cervical length on the development of pelvic inflammatory disease

This study aims to compare the uterine body longitudinal axis, uterine body transverse axis, uterine cervix longitudinal axis and anterior cervical axis angle measured ultrasonographically between women with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and healthy controls. Women aged 18-45 years with PID and healthy controls were included in the study. Demographic characteristics, uterine body long axis, uterine body transverse axis, uterine cervix long axis and anterior cervical axis angle of PID patients and healthy controls were evaluated. Gravida, parity, history of smoking were significantly higher in the PID group (n = 75) than the control group (n = 74). The uterine body longitudinal axis (p = 0.001) and transverse axis (p = 0.005) were significantly lower, and the cervix longitudinal axis (p < 0.001) and the anterior uterocervical angle (p < 0.001) were significantly higher in the PID group than the control group. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that uterine body (UTX) longitudinal axis (p = 0.005), uterine cervix longitudinal axis (p < 0.001) and UCA (p < 0.001) were significant predictors of PID. Uterine body longitudinal axis, uterine cervix longitudinal axis, and UCA can be associated to PID. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Association of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) with ectopic pregnancy and preterm labor in Taiwan: A nationwide population-based retrospective cohort study

Background

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infectious disease that causes tubal occlusion and other pelvic and abdominal adhesions. The incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) has increased due to the sexually active status of the young population. This leads to a more serious problem and a larger effect than previously observed. However, there have been few studies on this topic in Asian populations.

Aim

We aimed to evaluate the risk of preterm labor and/or ectopic pregnancy in Taiwanese women following PID.

Design

Using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database, we designed a retrospective cohort study that included 12- to 55-year-old pregnant women between 2000 and 2010. We selected a 1:3 age-matched control group of non-PID women. The endpoint was any episode of preterm labor or ectopic pregnancy; otherwise, the patients were tracked until 31 December 2010.

Methods

The risk factors for preterm labor or ectopic pregnancy were explored. For cases included from the index date until the end of 2010, we analyzed the risk of incident preterm labor or ectopic pregnancy. With the use of a multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis, we calculated the hazard ratio (HR) with a 95% CI and compared it with that of the control group.

Results

This study examined 30,450 patients with PID and 91,350 controls. During the follow-up period, patients in the PID group were more likely to develop preterm labor or ectopic pregnancy than patients in the control group. The cumulative incidence rates for developing preterm labor were 1.84% (561/30,450 individuals) in patients with PID and 1.63% (1492/91,350 individuals) in patients without PID. On the other hand, the cumulative incidence rate for developing ectopic pregnancy in patients with PID was 0.05% (14/30,450 individuals) but was only 0.04% (33/91,350 individuals) in patients without PID. Compared with those without PID, the patients with PID had a 1.864 times (P<0.001) higher risk of developing preterm labor and a 2.121 times (P = 0.003) higher risk of developing ectopic pregnancy.

Conclusion

Our study provided evidence of an increased risk of preterm labor or ectopic pregnancy in PID patients.

Salpingitis Impairs Bovine Tubal Function and Sperm-Oviduct Interaction

Salpingitis is a common cause for subfertility and infertility both in humans and animals. However, the effects of salpingitis on tubal function and reproductive success are largely unknown. Therefore we set out to investigate the effects of inflammation on sperm and oocyte transport and gameto-maternal interaction in the oviduct using the bovine as a model. For this purpose, oviducts revealing mild (n = 45), moderate (n = 55) and severe (n = 45) inflammation were obtained from cows immediately after slaughter and investigated by live cell imaging, histochemistry and scanning electron microscopy. Our studies showed that endometritis was always correlated with salpingitis. Moderate and severe inflammation caused a significant increase in the thickness of tubal folds (p < 0.05). Severe inflammation was characterized by luminal accumulations of mucus and glycoproteins, increased apoptosis, loss of tight junctions and shedding of tubal epithelial cells. The mean ciliary beat frequency (CBF) in the ampulla was significantly reduced as compared to the controls (p < 0.05). The higher the grade of inflammation, the lower was the CBF (p < 0.001). In severe inflammation, spermatozoa were stuck in mucus resulting in decreased sperm motility. Our results imply that tubal inflammation impairs proper tubal function and leads to reduced sperm fertilizing capacity.

Genital hygiene behaviors and practices: A cross-sectional descriptive study among antenatal care attendees

The female genital tracts harbor a wide variety of microorganisms’ knowns as microflora mostly constituted by lactobacilli, involved in the healthy state of the vagina without causing infection. Urinary tract infections (UTI) are frequent in pregnant women due to physiological and anatomical changes that occur during pregnancy. These infections can result to disabilities or serious health problems both for the mother and the new-born. Vaginal douching has been reported among risky practices associate with UTIs. However, this remains debatable and contradictory when other studies report the benefit effects of vaginal cleaning in infection prevention. The aim of this study was to assess pregnant women behaviors and practices regarding genital hygiene. This was a cross sectional descriptive study conducted on exhaustive sample of pregnant women coming for antenatal visits in Lafé Sub-divisional Hospital (SDH) and Baleng Catholic Health Center (BCHC) between 16 and 30 September 2013. Data were collected using a paper based standardized questionnaire directly self-administered after obtain a free consent. Overall, 80 pregnant women were enrolled. The majority of them had attended at least primary education (97.5%; n=78/80) and many were lived in couple (81.25%; n=65/80). Almost one on three participants identified antenatal consultation (ANC) as a key element to be taken into account by pregnant women. 70.1% (n=56/80) of women declared wearing undergarments in cotton. Regarding the daily vaginal douching behaviors, the majority (76.3%; n=61/80) of participants used the recommended gynecological measure, while the remaining use self-prescribed measures. Both genital parts (vulva area and vagina) were cleaned and use of water was mostly cited (63.8%; n=51/80). Almost one participant on four (n=29/80) use antiseptic solutions for genital cleaning. Antiseptic solutions were associated with water in 34.5% of cases (n=10/29), and in 65.5% (n=19/29) of cases it was used only for the vagina. Our findings suggest that knowledge and genital hygiene cleaning practices are acceptable among our study population. Risky practices such as use of antiseptic solutions and synthetic underwear’s were reported. Skills of health care providers on good hygiene practices for pregnant should be improved and community-based communication strategies need to be implemented to reach all women of child bearing age.

Simultaneous profiling of sexually transmitted bacterial pathogens, microbiome, and concordant host response in cervical samples using whole transcriptome sequencing analysis

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a female upper genital tract inflammatory disorder that arises after sexually transmitted bacterial infections (STI). Factors modulating risk for reproductive sequelae include co-infection, microbiota, host genetics and physiology. In a pilot study of cervical samples obtained from women at high risk for STIs, we examined the potential for unbiased characterization of host, pathogen and microbiome interactions using whole transcriptome sequencing analysis of ribosomal RNA-depleted total RNAs (Total RNA-Seq). Only samples from women with STI infection contained pathogen-specific sequences (3 to 38% transcriptome coverage). Simultaneously, we identified and quantified their active microbial communities. After integration with host-derived reads from the same data, we detected clustering of host transcriptional profiles that reflected microbiome differences and STI infection. Together, our study suggests that total RNA profiling will advance understanding of the interplay of pathogen, host and microbiota during natural infection and may reveal novel, outcome-relevant biomarkers.

Gene Expression Signatures Can Aid Diagnosis of Sexually Transmitted Infection-Induced Endometritis in Women

Sexually transmitted infection (STI) of the upper reproductive tract can result in inflammation and infertility. A biomarker of STI-induced upper tract inflammation would be significant as many women are asymptomatic and delayed treatment increases risk of sequelae. Blood mRNA from 111 women from three cohorts was profiled using microarray. Unsupervised analysis revealed a transcriptional profile that distinguished 9 cases of STI-induced endometritis from 18 with cervical STI or uninfected controls. Using a hybrid feature selection algorithm we identified 21 genes that yielded maximal classification accuracy within our training dataset. Predictive accuracy was evaluated using an independent testing dataset of 5 cases and 10 controls. Sensitivity was evaluated in a separate test set of 12 women with asymptomatic STI-induced endometritis in whom cervical burden was determined by PCR; and specificity in an additional test set of 15 uninfected women with pelvic pain due to unknown cause. Disease module preservation was assessed in 42 women with a clinical diagnosis of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). We also tested the ability of the biomarker to discriminate STI-induced endometritis from other diseases. The biomarker was 86.7% (13/15) accurate in correctly distinguishing cases from controls in the testing dataset. Sensitivity was 83.3% (5/6) in women with high cervical Chlamydia trachomatis burden and asymptomatic endometritis, but 0% (0/6) in women with low burden. Specificity in patients with non-STI-induced pelvic pain was 86.7% (13/15). Disease modules were preserved in all 8 biomarker predicted cases. The 21-gene biomarker was highly discriminatory for systemic infections, lupus, and appendicitis, but wrongly predicted tuberculosis as STI-induced endometritis in 52.4%. A 21-gene biomarker can identify asymptomatic women with STI-induced endometritis that places them at risk for chronic disease development and discriminate STI-induced endometritis from non-STI pelvic pain and other diseases.

Discovery of Blood Transcriptional Endotypes in Women with Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

Sexually transmitted infections with Chlamydia trachomatis and/or Neisseria gonorrhoeae and rates of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women continue to rise, with reinfection being common because of poor adaptive immunity. Diagnosis remains imprecise, and pathogenesis data are derived primarily from monoinfection of mice with C. trachomatis or N. gonorrhoeae By comparing blood mRNA responses of women with C. trachomatis- and/or N. gonorrhoeae-induced PID and histologic endometritis with those from women with C. trachomatis and/or N. gonorrhoeae infection limited to their cervix and asymptomatic uninfected women determined via microarray, we discovered important pathogenic mechanisms in PID and response differences that provide a pathway to biomarker discovery. Women with N. gonorrhoeae- and/or C. trachomatis-induced PID exhibit overexpression of myeloid cell genes and suppression of protein synthesis, mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, and T cell-specific genes. Coinfected women exhibited the greatest activation of cell death pathways and suppression of responses essential for adaptive immunity. Women solely infected with C. trachomatis expressed elevated levels of type I and type II IFN genes, and enhanced type I IFN-induced chemokines in cervical secretions were associated with ascension of C. trachomatis to the endometrium. Blood microarrays reveal discrete pathobiological endotypes in women with PID that are driven by pathogen invasion of the upper genital tract.

Human granulosa-luteal cells initiate an innate immune response to pathogen-associated molecules

The microenvironment of the ovarian follicle is key to the developmental success of the oocyte. Minor changes within the follicular microenvironment can significantly disrupt oocyte development, compromising the formation of competent embryos and reducing fertility. Previously described as a sterile environment, the ovarian follicle of women has been shown to contain colonizing bacterial strains, whereas in domestic species, pathogen-associated molecules are concentrated in the follicular fluid of animals with uterine infection. The aim of this study is to determine whether human granulosa-luteal cells mount an innate immune response to pathogen-associated molecules, potentially disrupting the microenvironment of the ovarian follicle. Human granulosa-luteal cells were collected from patients undergoing assisted reproduction. Cells were cultured in the presence of pathogen-associated molecules (LPS, FSL-1 and Pam3CSK4) for 24h. Supernatants and total RNA were collected for assessment by PCR and ELISA. Granulosa-luteal cells were shown to express the molecular machinery required to respond to a range of pathogen-associated molecules. Expression of TLR4 varied up to 15-fold between individual patients. Granulosa-luteal cells increased the expression of the inflammatory mediators IL1B, IL6 and CXCL8 in the presence of the TLR4 agonist E. coli LPS. Similarly, the TLR2/6 ligand, FSL-1, increased the expression of IL6 and CXCL8. Although no detectable changes in CYP19A1 or STAR expression were observed in granulosa-luteal cells following challenge, a significant reduction in progesterone secretion was measured after treatment with FSL-1. These findings demonstrate the ability of human granulosa-luteal cells to respond to pathogen-associated molecules and generate an innate immune response.

A Qualitative Analysis of Adolescent and Caregiver Acceptability of Universally Offered Gonorrhea and Chlamydia Screening in the Pediatric Emergency Department

STUDY OBJECTIVE

We qualitatively explore adolescent and parent or guardian attitudes about benefits and barriers to universally offered gonorrhea and chlamydia screening and modalities for assessing interest in screening in the pediatric emergency department (ED).

METHODS

A convenience sample of forty 14- to 21-year-olds and parents or guardians of adolescents presenting to an urban and community pediatric ED with any chief complaint participated in individual, semistructured, confidential interviews. Topics included support of universally offered gonorrhea and chlamydia screening, barriers and benefits to screening, and modalities for assessing interest in screening. Data were analyzed with framework analysis.

RESULTS

Almost all adolescents (37/40; 93%) and parents (39/40; 98%) support offering ED gonorrhea or chlamydia screening. Benefits included earlier diagnosis and treatment, convenience and transmission prevention (cited by both groups), and improved education and long-term health (cited by parents/guardians). Barriers included concerns about confidentiality and cost (cited by both groups), embarrassment (cited by adolescents), and nondisclosure to parents or guardians (cited by parents/guardians). Adolescents preferred that the request for gonorrhea or chlamydia screening be presented in a private room, using tablet technology. Both groups noted that the advantages to tablets included confidentiality and adolescents' familiarity with technology. Adolescents noted that tablet use would address concerns about bringing up gonorrhea or chlamydia screening with clinicians, whereas parents or guardians noted that tablets might increase screening incidence but expressed concern about the lack of personal interaction.

CONCLUSION

Universally offered gonorrhea and chlamydia screening in a pediatric ED was acceptable to the adolescents and parents or guardians in this study. Offering a tablet-based method to assess interest in screening may increase participation.

Epidemiological investigation of the relationship between common lower genital tract infections and high-risk human papillomavirus infections among women in Beijing, China

BACKGROUND

The incidence of lower genital tract infections in China has been increasing in recent years. The link between high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) remains unclear.

METHODS

From March to October 2014, gynecological examinations and questionnaires were conducted on 1218 married women. Cervical secretions and vaginal swab specimens were tested for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU), yeast, clue cells and HR-HPV.

RESULTS

Laboratory results were available for 1195 of 1218 married women. HR-HPV was detected in 7.0% of participants. Forty-seven percent of women had lower genital tract infections (LGTIs). UU was the most common infection (35.5%), followed by bacterial vaginosis (BV) (10.5%), yeast infection (3.7%), CT (2.2%), and Trichomonas vaginalis (1.7%). BV was associated with an increased risk of HR- HPV (P < 0.0001; odds ratio, 3.0 [95% CI, 1.7-5.4]). There was a strong correlation between abnormal cervical cytology and HR-HPV infection (P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of LGTIs in Beijing is at a high level. It is clinically important to screen for the simultaneous presence of pathogens that cause co-infections with HR-HPV.

Risk of psychiatric disorders following pelvic inflammatory disease: a nationwide population-based retrospective cohort study

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) a common infection in women that is associated with significant morbidity and is a major cause of infertility. A clear temporal causal relationship between PID and psychiatric disorders has not been well established. We used a nationwide population-based retrospective cohort study to explore the relationship between PID and the subsequent development of psychiatric disorders. We identified subjects who were newly diagnosed with PID between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2002 in the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. A comparison cohort was constructed for patients without PID. A total of 21 930 PID and 21 930 matched control patients were observed until diagnosed with psychiatric disorders, or until death, withdrawal from the NHI system, or until 31 December 2009. Adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of bipolar disorder, depressive disorder, anxiety disorder and sleep disorder in subjects with PID were significantly higher (HR: 2.671, 2.173, 2.006 and 2.251, respectively) than that of the controls during the follow-up. PID may increase the risk of subsequent newly diagnosed bipolar disorder, depressive disorder, anxiety disorder and sleep disorder, which will impair life quality. Our findings highlight that clinicians should pay particular attention to psychiatric comorbidities in PID patients.

MDCT of pelvic inflammatory disease: a review of the pathophysiology, gamut of imaging findings, and treatment

Representing an ascending, sexually spread pyogenic infection of the female genital tract, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a commonly encountered cause for emergency visits and hospitalizations among young and adult female patients. Though gynecologic evaluation and sonography constitute the mainstay of diagnosis, multidetector CT imaging of the abdomen and pelvis is not uncommonly performed, often as the initial imaging modality, due to the frequently vague and indeterminate clinical presentation. As such, knowledge and attenuation to the often subtle early imaging features of PID afford the radiologist a critical chance to direct and expedite appropriate pathways of patient care, minimizing the risk for secondary complications, including infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and enteric adhesions. In this paper, we will review the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, early and late imaging features of PID as well as potential secondary complications and treatment options. Additionally, we will discuss published data metrics on CT performance regarding sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis as well as potential imaging differential diagnostic considerations.

Improving sexually transmitted infection results notification via mobile phone technology

PURPOSE

To improve adolescent notification of positive sexually transmitted infection (STI) tests using mobile phone technology and STI information cards.

METHODS

A randomized intervention among 14- to 21-year olds in a pediatric emergency department (PED). A 2 × 3 factorial design with replication was used to evaluate the effectiveness of six combinations of two factors on the proportion of STI-positive adolescents notified within 7 days of testing. Independent factors included method of notification (call, text message, or call + text message) and provision of an STI information card with or without a phone number to obtain results. Covariates for logistic regression included age, empiric STI treatment, days until first attempted notification, and documentation of confidential phone number.

RESULTS

Approximately half of the 383 females and 201 males enrolled were ≥18 years of age. Texting only or type of card was not significantly associated with patient notification rates, and there was no significant interaction between card and notification method. For females, successful notification was significantly greater for call + text message (odds ratio, 3.2; 95% confidence interval, 1.4-6.9), and documenting a confidential phone number was independently associated with successful notification (odds ratio, 3.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.7-7.5). We found no significant predictors of successful notification for males. Of patients with a documented confidential phone number who received a call + text message, 94% of females and 83% of males were successfully notified.

CONCLUSIONS

Obtaining a confidential phone number and using call + text message improved STI notification rates among female but not male adolescents in a pediatric emergency department.

Usefulness of 11C-choline positron emission tomography for genital chlamydial infection assessment in a BALB/c murine model

PURPOSE

The aim of this study is to explore the feasibility of 11C-Choline PET in the assessment of the degree of inflammation in the Chlamydia muridarum genital infection model.

PROCEDURES

Forty female Balb/c mice received 2.5 mg of medroxyprogesterone acetate i.m. 9 and 2 days prior to the infection: 21 mice were infected by C. muridarum into the vaginal vault, 12 mice were treated with inactivated chlamydiae, and 7 mice were SPG buffer-treated as negative controls. Three healthy control mice were not treated with progesterone. Mice in each category were randomly subdivided in two groups: (1) sacrificed at 5, 10, 15, and 20 days for histological analysis and (2) undergoing 11C-Choline PET at days 5, 10, and 20 post-infection (20 MBq of 11C-Choline, uptake time of 10 min, acquisition through a small-animal PET tomograph for 15 min).

RESULTS

Infected animals showed a significantly higher standardized uptake value than both controls and animals inoculated with heat-inactivated chlamydiae in each PET scan (P<0.05). All organs of the infected animals had scores of inflammation ranging between 2 and 3 at day 5, decreasing to 1-2 at day 20.

CONCLUSIONS

This preliminary result demonstrated that 11C-Choline PET can highlight a specific proliferation mechanism of inflammatory cells induced by C. muridarum, thanks to a very high sensitivity in detecting very small amounts of tracer in inflammatory cells.

Expanding sexually transmitted infection screening among women and men engaging in transactional sex: the feasibility of field-based self-collection

Routine screening is a key component of sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention and control; however, traditional programmes often fail to effectively reach men and women in hidden communities. To reduce prevalence, we must understand the programmatic features that would encourage utilization of services among asymptomatic individuals. Using incentivized snowball sampling, 44 women and men recently engaging in transactional sex were recruited (24 women, 20 men); median age 37 years. Respondents were offered the opportunity to collect genital, oropharyngeal and rectal samples for STI testing and completed a face-to-face interview about their experience with self-obtained sampling. Interviews were analysed using qualitative methods. Participants were unaware of potential risk for STI, but found self-sampling in non-clinical settings to be acceptable and preferable to clinic-based testing. All participants collected genital specimens; 96% and 4% collected oropharyngeal and rectal specimens, respectively. The burden of disease in this population was high: 38% tested positive for at least one STI. We detected multiple concomitant infections. Incorporating field collection of self-obtained samples into STI control programmes may increase utilization among high-risk populations unlikely to access clinic-based services. High infection rates indicate that individuals engaging in transactional sex would benefit from, and be responsive to, community-based self-sampling for STI screening.

Cost of illness studies on reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health: a systematic literature review

BACKGROUND

The term ?reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH)? describes an integrated continuum of health states which is central to Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5. While the burden of mortality and morbidity associated with RMNCH is well known, knowledge is still limited about the economic burden of RMNCH. Concrete evidence of cost of illness (COI) of RMNCH may help policy makers in supporting investment in RMNCH.

METHODS

A systematic literature search of COI studies was performed in electronic databases. The time frame for the analysis was January 1990 ? April 2011. The databases checked were Medline (Pubmed), Embase and ECONbase, EconLit, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health (CINAHL), the National Bureau of Economic Research, the Latin American and Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences Database (LILACS), and Popline. Furthermore, we searched working papers and reference lists of selected articles.

RESULTS

All the studies investigated address particular complications and issues of RMNCH, e.g., preterm birth, non-exclusive breastfeeding, and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), but not RMNCH as an entire continuum. Most of the studies were conducted in high income countries, with limited data on low and middle income countries. The burden of disease is very high even for single complications. For example, the disease burden related to non-exclusive breastfeeding was given as 14.39 billion international dollars (ID) (2012, purchasing power parity) per year in the USA. Methodological differences in study design, costing approach, perspective of analysis, and time frame make it difficult to compare different studies.

CONCLUSION

The continuum of RMNCH covers a large portion of the lifespan from birth through the reproductive age. From a methodological perspective, an ideal COI study would clearly describe the perspective of analysis and, hence, the cost items (direct or indirect), cost collection procedure, discounting, quality of data, time frame of analysis, related comorbidities, and robust sensitivity analysis for all the assumptions. Further research is needed to measure the economic impact of RMNCH, including identification of the most cost-effective policy and interventions for prevention, reduction, and elimination of the complications of RMNCH.

Systematic literature review of the costs of pregnancy in the US

BACKGROUND

The cost of pregnancy is increasing over time despite the decline in pregnancy rates.

OBJECTIVE

To fully elucidate and evaluate the cost drivers of pregnancy in the US for payers, a systematic review was conducted to understand the main cost components and primary factors that contribute to the direct costs of pregnancy, pregnancy-related complications and unintended pregnancy among women of childbearing age (15-44 years).

DATA SOURCES

We performed electronic searches in the PubMed database from January 2000 to December 2012, and major women's health and pharmacoeconomics conference proceedings from 2011 to 2012.

STUDY SELECTION

The systematic review is comprised of studies that reported pregnancy, pregnancy-related complications, unplanned pregnancy, and pregnancy-induced monetary costs. The review excluded narrative reports, systematic reviews, model-derived cost of pregnancy papers, non-US-based studies, and reports based solely on expert opinions.

STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS

Two reviewers independently applied the inclusion criteria and assessed the quality of the data collected. Disagreements between reviewers were resolved by consensus or by arbitration through a third party, with reference to the original sources. We collected information on the study design and outcomes for each included study. We used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines in designing, performing, and reporting of the systematic review.

RESULTS

We identified 40 studies from electronic and handsearching methods. We classified studies based on the primary research topic focusing on the overall cost of pregnancy (N = 10), cost of pregnancy-related complications (N = 26), cost of unintended pregnancy (N = 2), cost of planned pregnancy (N = 1), or cost of pregnancy by facilities (N = 1). In the quality assessment, randomized, non-randomized, and retrospective database studies had low to moderate risk of bias. We determined primary cost drivers based on the highest cost reported in each study. The identified cost drivers were inpatient care, pregnancy delivery, multiple births, complicated cesarean sections, high-risk pregnancy, preterm birth, low birth weight, complications due to conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, anemia, and cancer, and in vitro fertilization. In 2008, the overall mean cost per hospital stay for pregnancy-related incidence ranged from $3,306 to $9,234 in 2012 dollars. The mean cost of pregnancy-related complications that led to preterm birth was as high as $326,953 for an infant born at 25 weeks. It is estimated that over 50 % of live births were unintended in the US. The difference in the cost of unintended pregnancy and intended pregnancy was approximately $536 million.

LIMITATIONS

One limitation of the systematic review was the exclusion of model-based cost studies which were excluded because of the high level of variation and heterogeneity across sources of reported cost. Another limitation of the review is that the cost of pregnancy perspective is restricted to the US.

CONCLUSION

Preventing pregnancy-related complications and reducing unintended pregnancies may lower the overall economic burden of pregnancy on the US health care system.

Pelvic inflammatory disease: current concepts in pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is characterized by infection and inflammation of the upper genital tract in women and can cause significant reproductive health sequelae for women. Although a definitive diagnosis of PID is made by laparoscopic visualization of inflamed, purulent fallopian tubes, PID is generally a clinical diagnosis and thus represents a diagnostic challenge. Therefore, diagnosis and treatment algorithms advise a high index of suspicion for PID in any woman of reproductive age with pelvic or abdominal pain. Antibiotic therapy should be started early, and given for an adequate period of time to reduce the risk of complications. Coverage for anaerobic organisms should be considered in most cases.

Status of adolescent pelvic inflammatory disease management in the United States

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a common and serious reproductive health disorder and disease rates remain unacceptably high among adolescent girls and young adult women in the United States. Despite data demonstrating that women experience major adverse health outcomes after PID, national recommendations for management of adolescents have become increasingly less cautious in an era of cost-containment. In this review, we take an alternative look at published data on adolescents with PID to frame the next steps for optimizing management for this vulnerable population.

RECENT FINDINGS

Several findings emerge from review of the literature. First, there is limited evidence to guide the best practice strategies for adolescents with PID due to low enrolment of early and middle adolescents in national trials. Second, adolescents and adult women in the United States receive suboptimal treatment regimens per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) standards. Third, available evidence suggests that adolescents are at an increased risk for poor adherence to CDC recommendations for self-care, reacquisition of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and PID, and subsequent adverse reproductive health outcomes.

SUMMARY

Efforts to develop and integrate adolescent-focused, evidence-based strategies for PID management and prevention of subsequent STIs and recurrent PID are warranted.

Estimating the direct costs of pelvic inflammatory disease in adolescents: a within-system analysis

We used 2008-2009 physician and hospital charges to estimate the direct cost of medical care per case of pelvic inflammatory disease. The estimated average total charge per episode was $3,025 (SD: $4155). The estimated average charge for patients treated in ambulatory (outpatient clinic and emergency department) settings was $7440 lower than for those treated on inpatient units.

Court-based participatory research: collaborating with the justice system to enhance sexual health services for vulnerable women in the United States

BACKGROUND

Although jail screening programs have an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmissible infections (STI) and HIV among incarcerated individuals, many arrestees are not screened before release. Justice-involved women are at particularly high risk for these conditions because of individual risk behaviour as well as other network-level risk factors. Court-based programs could provide a critical bridge between these women, STI risk counselling and health services. This formative study explored the features of a program that would encourage STI testing among court-involved women. Further, we describe how community-based participatory research principles were adapted for use in a court setting and the resulting justice-public health partnership.

METHODS

Using semistructured interviews and focus group discussions, we explored issues related to health-seeking behaviours, perceived gaps in services for high-risk women and the components of a court-based screening program.

RESULTS

Six focus groups were conducted with women with a history of commercial sex work and staff from the court, as well as local organisations providing HIV and social support services for high-risk women. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles facilitated development of relevant research questions and equitable processes, and assisted partners to consider individual and sociostructural sources of health disparities.

DISCUSSION

Although not every principle was applicable in a court setting, the CBPR framework was helpful for building cohesion and support for the project. We provide a description of how CBPR principles were operationalised, describe the key lessons learned and discuss the implications for CBPR projects in a community court.

Intrauterine devices and pelvic inflammatory disease among adolescents

Adolescents may be ideal candidates for intrauterine device (IUD) use, given high rates of unintended pregnancy and less successful use of short-acting contraceptive methods. Concerns about elevated risks of pelvic inflammatory disease in adolescents, with the consequences of infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and pelvic pain, prevent many clinicians from inserting IUDs in adolescents. The body of evidence examining risks of pelvic infection related to IUD use specifically in adolescents is limited, but is reassuring that the absolute risk of pelvic infection is small and that the benefits of IUD use likely outweigh the risks.

Association between enhanced screening for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae and reductions in sequelae among women

PURPOSE

Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) are typically asymptomatic, but, if untreated, can lead to sequelae including pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and ectopic pregnancy. The objective was to describe trends of these sequelae in Philadelphia after implementing citywide screening in a high-morbidity population (>6% positivity).

METHODS

In this ecologic study, which used data from 1996 to 2007, multivariable linear regression analysis was used to assess the association between the number of annual CT/GC screening tests by gender and the number of women aged 14-30 years hospitalized for PID or ectopic pregnancy. A standardized hospitalization database provided the number of admissions with a discharge diagnosis of PID or ectopic pregnancy. Positive CT/GC laboratory results reported by hospitals and emergency departments (EDs) were used as a proxy for outpatient PID.

RESULTS

Between 1996 and 2007, CT/GC screening increased by 188%, whereas declines were noted in hospitalized PID cases (36%, -173 cases), ectopic pregnancy (38%, -119 cases), and ED-diagnosed CT/GC cases (39%, -727 cases). Screening 10,000 females for CT/GC corresponded with 26.1 fewer hospitalized PID cases (95% confidence interval 11.2-41.1), whereas screening 10,000 males corresponded to 10.4 (95% CI: 2.6-18.2) fewer cases. Although male screening was not significantly associated with ectopic pregnancy, screening 10,000 females was associated with 28.6 fewer ectopic pregnancies (95% CI: 7.4-49.8).

CONCLUSIONS

This ecologic analysis found a correlation between large-scale CT/GC screening in a high-morbidity population and reductions in hospitalized PID, ectopic pregnancies, and ED-diagnosed CT/GC.

Synergetic effects of doxycycline-loaded chitosan nanoparticles for improving drug delivery and efficacy

INTRODUCTION

Doxycycline, a broad-spectrum antibiotic, is the most commonly prescribed antibiotic worldwide for treating infectious diseases. It may be delivered orally or intravenously but can lead to gastrointestinal irritation and local inflammation. For treatment of uterine infections, transcervical administration of doxycycline encapsulated in nanoparticles made of biodegradable chitosan may improve sustained delivery of the drug, thereby minimizing adverse effects and improving drug efficacy.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

As a first step toward assessing this potential, we used an ionic gelation method to synthesize blank and doxycycline-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (DCNPs), which we then characterized in terms of several properties relevant to clinical efficacy: particle size, shape, encapsulation efficiency, antibacterial activity, and in vitro cytotoxicity. Two particle formulations were examined, with one (named DCNP6) containing approximately 1.5 times the crosslinker concentration of the other (DCNP4).

RESULTS

The two formulations produced spherically shaped drug-loaded nanoparticles. The spheres ranged in size from 30 to 220 nm diameter for DCNP4 and 200 to 320 nm diameter for DCNP6. Average encapsulation yield was 53% for DCNP4 and 56% for DCNP6. In terms of drug release, both formulations showed a burst effect within the first 4 to 5 hours, followed by a slow, sustained release for the remainder of the 24-hour monitoring period. The in vitro antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli was high, with both formulations achieving more than 90% inhibition of 4-hour bacterial growth. Cytotoxic effects of the DCNPs on normal human ovarian surface epithelial cells were significantly lower than those of unencapsulated doxycycline. After 5 days, cultures exposed to the unencapsulated antibiotic showed a 61% decrease in cell viability, while cultures exposed to the DCNPs exhibited less than a 10% decrease.

CONCLUSION

These laboratory results suggest that DCNPs show preliminary promise for possible eventual use in transcervical drug delivery and improved efficacy in the treatment of bacterial uterine infections.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease: Current Concepts of Diagnosis and Management

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), one of the most common infections in non-pregnant women of reproductive age, remains an important public health problem. It is associated with major long-term sequelae, including tubal factor infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and chronic pelvic pain. In addition, treatment of acute PID and its complications incurs substantial health care costs. Prevention of these long-term sequelae is dependent upon clinicians having a high index of suspicion in order to make an early diagnosis and development of treatment strategies based on knowledge of the microbiologic etiology of acute PID. It is well accepted that acute PID is a polymicrobic infection. The sexually transmitted organisms, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis, are present in many cases and microorganisms comprising the endogenous vaginal and cervical flora are frequently associated with PID. This includes anaerobic and facultative bacteria, similar to those associated with bacterial vaginosis. Genital tract mycoplasmas, most importantly Mycoplasma genitalium, have recently also been implicated as a cause of acute PID. As a consequence, treatment regimens for acute PID should provide broad spectrum coverage that is effective against these microorganisms.

Mycoplasma genitalium: an emerging cause of pelvic inflammatory disease

Mycoplasma genitalium is a sexually transmitted pathogen that is increasingly identified among women with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Although Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae frequently cause PID, up to 70% of cases have an unidentified etiology. This paper summarizes evidence linking M. genitalium to PID and its long-term reproductive sequelae. Several PCR studies have demonstrated that M. genitalium is associated with PID, independent of gonococcal and chlamydial infection. Most have been cross-sectional, although one prospective investigation suggested that M. genitalium was associated with over a thirteenfold risk of endometritis. Further, a nested case-control posttermination study demonstrated a sixfold increased risk of PID among M. genitalium positive patients. Whether or not M. genitalium upper genital tract infection results in long-term reproductive morbidity is unclear, although tubal factor infertility patients have been found to have elevated M. genitalium antibodies. Several lines of evidence suggest that M. genitalium is likely resistant to many frequently used PID treatment regimens. Correspondingly, M. genitalium has been associated with treatment failure following cefoxitin and doxycycline treatment for clinically suspected PID. Collectively, strong evidence suggests that M. genitalium is associated with PID. Further study of M. genitalium upper genital tract infection diagnosis, treatment and long-term sequelae is warranted.

Treatment of acute pelvic inflammatory disease

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), one of the most common infections in nonpregnant women of reproductive age, remains an important public health problem. It is associated with major long-term sequelae, including tubal factor infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and chronic pelvic pain. In addition, treatment of acute PID and its complications incurs substantial health care costs. Prevention of these long-term sequelae is dependent upon development of treatment strategies based on knowledge of the microbiologic etiology of acute PID. It is well accepted that acute PID is a polymicrobic infection. The sexually transmitted organisms, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis, are present in many cases, and microorganisms comprising the endogenous vaginal and cervical flora are frequently associated with PID. This includes anaerobic and facultative bacteria, similar to those associated with bacterial vaginosis. Genital tract mycoplasmas, most importantly Mycoplasma genitalium, have recently also been implicated as a cause of acute PID. As a consequence, treatment regimens for acute PID should provide broad spectrum coverage that is effective against these microorganisms.

Importance of physicians in Chlamydia trachomatis control

INTRODUCTION

During 2002-2006, reported rates of Chlamydia (CT) increased 17.3% nationally, with 43.6% of guideline eligible females screened in 2006. Annual costs associated with CT exceed $1.88 billion. We sought to determine the importance of private medical doctors (PMDs) and hospitals as screening venues in Illinois, USA and if this varied by county Rural-Urban Continuum Code (RUCC).

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of all CT cases reported in Illinois during 2002-2006. Counties were stratified by RUCC and eighteen provider types were condensed into nine venues. Venue positivity rates were derived from laboratory data.

RESULTS

PMDs and hospitals reported 247,725 CT cases (33.1% and 25.4%, respectively). Sample positivity rates were 6.2% and 6.1%, comparable to 5.7% for family planning clinics (FPC). Distribution of cases within these venues (and STD clinics) by RUCC was highly significant (p<0.001).

DISCUSSION

Even though screening guideline compliance is low, PMDs identify the majority of cases in Illinois and are consistently important screening venues at all levels of urbanization. As PMDs (and/or hospitals) exist in every Illinois county, it may be more efficient to augment screening rates at these venues rather than create new venues of other types which may be cost-ineffective in rural or low-prevalence areas.

Genitourinary emergencies in the nonpregnant woman

Lower abdominal and pelvic pains are common symptoms in women who present to the emergency department (ED). Once pregnancy has been ruled out, attention should focus on other potential life or fertility threats. Ultrasound remains the most helpful initial diagnostic modality. Time-sensitive and serious conditions, such as large ovarian masses or abnormal vaginal bleeding, need gynecologic consultation. Because many patients do not have access to primary care, ED physicians should be familiar with the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases. However, most nonpregnant women with pelvic complaints can safely be managed in the outpatient setting after ED evaluation.

Recommendations and rationale for the treatment of pelvic inflammatory disease

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is one of the most common serious infections of nonpregnant women of reproductive age. Management of PID is directed at containment of infection. Goals of therapy include the resolution of clinical symptoms and signs, the eradication of pathogens from the genital tract and the prevention of sequelae including infertility, ectopic pregnancy and chronic pelvic pain. The choice of an antibiotic regimen used to treat PID relies upon the appreciation of the polymicrobial etiology of this ascending infection including Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma genitalium and other lower genital tract endogenous anaerobic and facultative bacteria, many of which are associated with bacterial vaginosis. Currently available evidence and the CDC treatment recommendations support the use of broad-spectrum antibiotic regimens that adequately cover the above named microorganisms. The outpatient treatment of mild-to-moderate PID should include tolerated antibiotic regimens consisting of an extended-spectrum cephalosporin in conjunction with either azithromycin or doxycycline. Clinically severe PID should prompt hospitalization and imaging to rule out a tubo-ovarian abscess. Parenteral broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy with activity against a polymicrobial flora, particularly Gram-negative aerobes and anaerobes, should be implemented.

Development and Evaluation of GIS-Based Chlamydia Trachomatis Intervention Policy in Illinois

Chlamydia trachomatis is the most prevalent infectious disease in the United States. Complications include pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), ectopic pregnancy, and infertility. The cost of PID in 1998 was estimated at greater than $1.9 billion. Screening intervention strategies are often consumed by those at low risk. The objective of this study is the development of a more cost-effective intervention strategy by employing Geographic Information Systems and Census Bureau demographic data in selected Local Health Departments in Illinois. Case studies of intervention activities at the state and local level were performed. An evaluability assessment model of current inputs, processes and outcomes was created. A proposed model utilizing additional state inputs was developed and tested. Interventions were evaluated for effectiveness in reducing the incidence of Chlamydia trachomatis. Societal cost effectiveness analysis was also performed. The proposed model was tested in 2006. Results indicate that only minimal changes in annual incidence are required for GIS-augmented interventions to be cost-effective.

Treatment strategies for pelvic inflammatory disease

BACKGROUND

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is one of the most common infections seen in nonpregnant reproductive-age women. It is a major public health problem associated with substantial medical complications (e.g., infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and chronic pelvic pain) and healthcare costs. Prevention of these long-term sequelae requires treatment strategies that are based on the microbiologic etiology of acute PID.

OBJECTIVE

To determine appropriate antimicrobial regimens for the treatment of acute PID based on published literature.

METHODS

Clinical trials published since 2002 were assessed conducting a systematic search of the literature on the treatment of acute PID using PubMed (National Library of Congress). The search was limited to articles written in English and published from 1 January 2002 to 30 June 2008.

RESULTS

Acute PID is a polymicrobic infection caused by both sexually transmitted organisms (primarily Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis) and microorganisms found in the endogenous flora of the vagina and cervix. The latter include anaerobic bacteria and facultative bacteria, many of which are associated with bacterial vaginosis. Genital tract mycoplasmas, most importantly Mycoplasma genitalium, may also be implicated in the etiology of acute PID. Because of this polymicrobial nature, currently available evidence, as well as recommendations by the CDC, support the use of broad-spectrum regimens (oral or parenteral) that provide adequate coverage against these microorganisms.

Trends in illness severity and length of stay in inner-city adolescents hospitalized for pelvic inflammatory disease

BACKGROUND

In 1998, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) changed their guidelines for treatment of adolescents with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), no longer recommending hospitalization of all teenagers.

STUDY OBJECTIVES

(1) To determine the proportion of adolescents with PID who were admitted for failed outpatient treatment after the CDC guideline change. (2) To determine if adolescents admitted for PID after the guideline change needed longer hospital stays and/or were more likely to be "very ill" [as measured by inflammation markers, e.g. fever] or to have tubo-ovarian abscess (TOA) than those admitted before the change.

DESIGN

Retrospective chart review

SETTING/PARTICIPANTS

All 12-21-year-old females with the diagnosis of PID admitted to an adolescent inpatient unit in an inner-city teaching hospital during a two-year period before [T1=1995-1997 (54 cases)] and after [T2=1998-2000 (91 cases)] the CDC guideline change.

INTERVENTIONS

None

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Reason for admission (failed outpatient treatment; TOA; or admission at the time of diagnosis of PID); clinical toxicity at admission, and length of hospital stay (LOS).

RESULTS

During T2, 22% of PID admissions were for failure of outpatient therapy. However, those admitted after failure of outpatient therapy (n=20) in T2 were less likely to be "very ill" than those who were admitted at the time of PID diagnosis in either T1 or T2 (n=123) [RR:0.30; 95% CI:0.09-0.94]. Mean LOS for females admitted to the adolescent unit with all diagnoses other than PID did not change between T1 and T2 but mean LOS for those diagnosed with PID decreased significantly from 6.3 +/- 3.7 days to 4.7 +/- 2.7 days, respectively (P = 0.002). LOS for PID was longer for younger (<16 years; 8.20 +/- 4.5 days) than older (> or =16 years; 5.0 +/- 2.8 days) girls (P = 0.02) and for adolescents with TOA (7.9 +/- 5.0 days) than for those without (5.3 +/- 2.9 days) (P = 0.05).

CONCLUSION

At our medical center, after the CDC guideline change many adolescents with PID were admitted because of failure of outpatient therapy but they were not sicker than those admitted at the time of diagnosis and overall LOS for PID was shorter. These findings are reassuring because they suggest that an initial trial of outpatient therapy for PID is unlikely to harm adolescents and may lead to significant cost savings.

Cost-effectiveness of screening strategies for Chlamydia trachomatis using cervical swabs, urine, and self-obtained vaginal swabs in a sexually transmitted disease clinic setting

BACKGROUND

We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of Chlamydia screening strategies that use different methods of specimen collection: cervical swabs, urines, and self-obtained vaginal swabs.

METHODS

A decision analysis was modeled for a hypothetical cohort of 10,000 per year of women attending sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics. Incremental cost-effectiveness of 4 screening strategies were compared: 1) Endocervical DNA probe test (PACE2, Gen-Probe), 2) Endocervical AC2 (Aptima Combo 2, Gen-Probe), 3) Self-Obtained Vaginal AC2, and 4) Urine AC2. Sensitivities of the vaginal, urine, and cervical AC2 tests were derived from 324 women attending STD clinics. The primary outcome was cases of pelvic inflammatory disease prevented. The model incorporated programmatic screening and treatment costs and medical cost savings from sequelae prevented.

RESULTS

Chlamydia prevalence in the sampled population was 11.1%. Sensitivities of vaginal, urine, and cervical AC2 were 97.2%, 91.7%, and 91.7%, respectively. The sensitivity of the DNA probe was derived from the literature and estimated at 68.8%. The self-obtained vaginal AC2 strategy was the least expensive and the most cost-effective, preventing 17 more cases of pelvic inflammatory disease than the next least expensive strategy.

CONCLUSIONS

Use of a vaginal swab to detect Chlamydia in this STD clinic population was cost-saving and cost-effective.

Benign gynecologic conditions

Benign gynecologic conditions constitute the majority of the general gynecologist's practice. Along with health maintenance examinations, contraceptive management, family planning issues, and concerns about incontinence, the gynecologic conditions for which patients commonly present include adnexal masses, leiomyomata, endometriosis, and pelvic inflammatory disease. This article addresses each of these last four entities and incorporates a discussion of their etiologies, clinical presentations, keys to diagnosis, and the various treatment options available.

Formulas for estimating the costs averted by sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention programs in the United States

Background

Sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention programs can mitigate the health and economic burden of STIs. A tool to estimate the economic benefits of STI programs could prove useful to STI program personnel.

Methods

We developed formulas that can be applied to estimate the direct medical costs and indirect costs (lost productivity) averted by STI programs in the United States. Costs and probabilities for these formulas were based primarily on published studies.

Results

We present a series of formulas that can be used to estimate the economic benefits of STI prevention (in 2006 US dollars), using data routinely collected by STI programs. For example, the averted sequelae costs associated with treating women for chlamydia is given as (C_w)(0.16)(0.925)(0.70)($1,995), where C_w is the number of infected women treated for chlamydia, 0.16 is the absolute reduction in the probability of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) as a result of treatment, 0.925 is an adjustment factor to prevent double-counting of PID averted in women with both chlamydia and gonorrhea, 0.70 is an adjustment factor to account for the possibility of re-infection, and $1,995 is the average cost per case of PID, based on published sources.

Conclusion

The formulas developed in this study can be a useful tool for STI program personnel to generate evidence-based estimates of the economic impact of their program and can facilitate the assessment of the cost-effectiveness of their activities.

Intrauterine nitric oxide in pelvic inflammatory disease

OBJECTIVE

To measure nitric oxide gas directly in the uterus of healthy women and patients with suspected pelvic inflammatory disease.

DESIGN

Pilot case-control study.

SETTING

The emergency department of a university hospital.

PATIENT(S)

Twenty premenopausal, nonpregnant women from 18 to 48 years of age with lower abdominal pain and nine healthy women with regular menstrual cycles were included.

INTERVENTION(S)

We measured nitric oxide levels in air incubated for 5 minutes in a catheter balloon in the uterine cavity.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

Intrauterine nitric oxide concentration in controls and patients.

RESULT(S)

In patients with lower abdominal pain, nitric oxide was almost 100-fold increased in those in whom pelvic inflammatory disease had been diagnosed compared with those in whom appendicitis had been diagnosed with no individual overlap. Uterine nitric oxide levels were uniformly low in healthy women throughout the menstrual cycle, compared with those with pelvic inflammatory disease.

CONCLUSION(S)

Nitric oxide gas can be measured directly in the uterine cavity with a fast, simple, and safe method. The levels of nitric oxide are increased in patients with pelvic inflammatory disease.

Role of bedside transvaginal ultrasonography in the diagnosis of tubo-ovarian abscess in the emergency department

Tubo-ovarian Abscess (TOA) is a complication of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) requiring admission, i.v. antibiotics and, possibly, aspiration or surgery. The purpose of this study was to describe the role of emergency department (ED) bedside transvaginal ultrasonography (US) in the diagnosis of TOA. This was a retrospective review of non-pregnant ED patients presenting with pelvic pain who were diagnosed with TOA using bedside transvaginal US. ED US examinations were performed by emergency medicine residents and ultrasound-credentialed attending physicians within 1 h after clinical assessment. ED US logs were reviewed for the diagnosis of TOA. Medical records were reviewed for risk factors, medical and sexual history, physical examination findings, laboratory results, additional diagnostic testing, hospital course, and a discharge diagnosis of TOA by the admitting gynecology service. A total of 20 patients with TOA were identified over a 3-year period. Ages ranged from 14 to 45 years (mean 27 years). Seven (35%) patients reported a prior history of PID or sexually transmitted disease, and 1 (5%) was febrile. All had lower abdominal tenderness and 9 (45%) had cervical motion or adnexal tenderness. The sonographic abnormalities included 14 (70%) with a complex adnexal mass, 5 (25%) with echogenic fluid in the cul-de-sac, and 3 (15%) patients with pyosalpinx. The discharge diagnosis was TOA by the admitting gynecology service for all patients. Our study illustrates the limitations of clinical criteria in diagnosing TOA and supports the use of bedside US when evaluating patients with pelvic pain and symptoms that do not meet classic Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for PID.

Do short-term markers of treatment efficacy predict long-term sequelae of pelvic inflammatory disease?

OBJECTIVE

This study was undertaken to assess whether short-term markers, often used to measure clinical cure after treatment for pelvic inflammatory disease, predict sequelae of lack of pregnancy, recurrent pelvic inflammatory disease, and chronic pelvic pain.

STUDY DESIGN

Women with mild-to-moderate pelvic inflammatory disease were assessed after treatment initiation at 5 days for tenderness (n = 713) and at 30 days for tenderness, cervical infections and endometritis (n = 298). Pregnancy, recurrent pelvic inflammatory disease, and chronic pelvic pain were evaluated after 84 months, on average.

RESULTS

Pelvic tenderness at 5 and at 30 days significantly elevated the risk for developing chronic pelvic pain; tenderness at 30 days was also significantly associated with recurrent pelvic inflammatory disease. However, pelvic tenderness at 5 and at 30 days was only modestly clinically predictive of chronic pelvic pain or recurrent pelvic inflammatory disease (positive predictive values 22.1-66.9%). No short-term marker significantly influenced the likelihood of achieving a pregnancy.

CONCLUSION

Tenderness at 5 or 30 days did not accurately predict the occurrence of pelvic inflammatory disease-related reproductive morbidities.

Time from sexually transmitted infection acquisition to pelvic inflammatory disease development: influence on the cost-effectiveness of different screening intervals

OBJECTIVES

To prevent pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), some experts recommend screening for sexually transmitted infection (STI) every 12 months, with more frequent screening suggested in higher-risk women. Nevertheless, the time from STI acquisition to PID development, possibly an important factor to consider in screening interval choice, is unknown and its influence on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of screening is unclear.

METHODS

Using a Markov model, we estimated PID cases averted and the incremental cost-effectiveness resulting from 6- or 12-month screening strategies for high-risk young women (6%/year infection risk, 2.8%/year PID risk with 12-month screening) while varying PID development time from 1 to 12 months after initial infection. Lower-risk women and alternative parameter values were examined in sensitivity analyses.

RESULTS

Relative to 12-month screening, 6-month screening decreases PID cases from 6.0% (1 month development time)to 19.4% (12 months); the incremental cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained compared with the other strategies varies from $16,600 (12 months development time) to $31,800 (1 month) for high-risk women. In lower-risk women, every 6-month screening is more economically unfavorable, with greater costs per QALY gained at shorter PID development time.

CONCLUSION

From a cost-effectiveness standpoint, uncertainty about PID development time is not a significant factor in choosing a screening interval in high-risk women, but could be important in lower-risk groups. Significant increases in PID cases averted occur with more frequent screening when PID development time is lengthened, which may allow estimation of this interval through the use of more sophisticated modeling techniques.

Antibiotic therapy for acute pelvic inflammatory disease: the 2006 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sexually transmitted diseases treatment guidelines

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a substantial cause of reproductive morbidity in young women. A systematic review of the literature related to PID management was performed in preparation for the 2006 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sexually transmitted diseases treatment guidelines. This search was conducted using PubMed and was limited to articles written in English and published between 1 January 2002 and 31 January 2005 that were related to PID treatment. Studies were evaluated for new data on PID with regard to site, route, and timing of antimicrobial administration; regimen adherence; experience in adolescents and women >35 years of age; coinfection with human immunodeficiency virus; and management of sex partners. Strong evidence suggests that neither site nor route of treatment administration affects the short- or long-term major outcome of women with mild or moderate clinical presentations. Data on these outcomes in women with more severe clinical presentations are inadequate to provide guidance as to the preferred agents or route of administration. Important contributions to the literature that impact the 2006 guidelines are described in this article.

Awareness of infectious diseases in obstetrics and gynecology among residents and residency directors

Awareness of the subspecialty of infectious diseases in obstetrics and gynecology is low among United States residents and residency directors. Objective. Given the burden of infectious diseases on women's health, we sought to assess current awareness, interest, and perceived value of the subspecialty of infectious diseases in obstetrics and gynecology among current United States obstetrics and gynecology residents and residency directors. Methods. Two separate surveys addressing awareness, perceived value and interest in the subspecialty were sent to (1) a random 20% sample of obstetrics and gynecology residents and (2) all obstetrics and gynecology residency directors. Results. Seventy percent of the residency directors were familiar with the subspecialty and 67.0% placed value on infectious disease specialists in an academic department. Thirty percent of the residents reported awareness of the subspecialty. Thirty-six percent of residency directors reported that medical infectious disease specialists deliver formal education to the obstetrics and gynecology residents. Conclusion. United States obstetrics and gynecology residents and residency directors have a low awareness of the subspecialty. An open niche exists for formal education of residents in infectious diseases in obstetrics and gynecology by department specialists. These findings can be incorporated into ongoing recruitment efforts for the subspecialty of infectious diseases in obstetrics and gynecology.

Newest Approaches to Treatment of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease: A Review of Recent Randomized Clinical Trials

Treatment of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) should provide high rates of clinical and microbiological cure for a range of pathogens and should ultimately prevent reproductive morbidity. Between 1992 and 2006, 5 randomized clinical trials of moxifloxacin (1 trial), ofloxacin (1 trial), clindamycin-ciprofloxacin (1 trial), and azithromycin (2 trials) treatment among women with mild to moderate PID were found to have clinical cure rates of 90%-97%. Trials of ofloxacin and clindamycin-ciprofloxacin reported rates of cure of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis infection of 100%, although microbiological cure data for other pathogens were not presented. One azithromycin trial reported a 98% eradication of C. trachomatis, N. gonorrhoeae, Mycoplasma hominis, and anaerobes. Moxifloxacin exhibited high eradication rates for N. gonorrhoeae, C. trachomatis, M. hominis, Mycobacterium genitalium, and gram-negative anaerobes. Clinical cure rates from 2 doxycycline-metronidazole trials were low (35% and 55%). Although a handful of studies have shown that monotherapies for PID achieve high rates of clinical cure, the efficacy of these regimens in treating anaerobic PID and in preventing adverse reproductive sequelae is not fully elucidated.