101,867 research outputs found
Evaluation of semen detection in vaginal secretions: comparison of four methods
No full textAm J Reprod Immunol. 2008 Sep;60(3):274-81. Epub 2008 Jul 18.
Evaluation of semen detection in vaginal secretions: comparison of four methods.
Culhane JF, Nyirjesy P, McCollum K, Casabellata G, Di Santolo M, Cauci S.
SourceDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Abstract
PROBLEM: To determine the best method to detect semen in human vaginal secretions.
METHOD OF STUDY: Vaginal secretions from 302 pregnant women at mean 11.8 weeks' gestation were analyzed. Semen detection was assessed with: (i) measurement of total prostate-specific antigen (PSA), (ii) acid phosphatase activity, (iii) microscopic measurement of spermatozoa on Gram stain, and (iv) self-reported sexual intercourse in the past 2 days. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated for each technique in comparison with PSA levels.
RESULTS: A total of 119 (39.4%) women had a detectable PSA. Compared with measurable PSA, the sensitivity and specificity for other methods were: acid phosphatase (26.9%, 98.4%), Gram stain (36.1%, 98.4%), and self-report of intercourse in the past 48 hr (41.9%, 88.8%).
CONCLUSION: Compared with PSA levels, commonly used assays for recent semen exposure are inaccurate. This inaccuracy may affect the results of studies, which measure vaginal immune factors like cytokines or retrieve DNA from vaginal specimens
Evaluation of iron deficiency in young women in relation to oral contraceptive use
No full textBackground: The purpose of this study was to identify the optimal measures for diagnosing iron deficiency (ID) in oral contraceptive (OC) users and nonusers, and to estimate ID frequency in relation to OC use.
Study Design: Conventional biomarkers of iron status - serum ferritin, iron, transferrin (Tf) and transferrin saturation (TfS) - were compared with serum soluble Tf receptor (sTfR) and the sTfR/log ferritin ratio (sTfR-F index). Two hundred two healthy menstruating white Italian women (aged 24 +/- 4.8 years) were analyzed. Serum ferritin concentrations < 12 mu g/L were considered as ID.
Results: ID was detected in 29.7% (60/202) of the study women. Fifty-nine women were OC users (59/202, 29.2%). OC use did not significantly affect ID prevalence (p=.24). However, OC use markedly increased Tf in OC users, who had an odds ratio (OR) of 9.3 (CI 3.822.7, p 330 mg/dL. No other iron status measure was affected by OC. Of the markers for ID adjunctive to ferritin, an elevated sTfR-F index >= 1.5 showed the best performance. Specifically in OC users, the elevated sTfR-F index had better sensitivity (81.0% vs. 33.3%), specificity (94.7% vs. 92.1%), efficiency (89.8% vs. 71.2%), positive predictive value (89.5% vs. 70.0%) and negative predictive value (90.0% vs. 71.1%) than a TfS = 12 mu g/L.
Conclusion: Among healthy OC users and non-OC users, the sTfR-F index had the highest performance for diagnosing ID compared with other serum markers adjunctive to ferritin measurements, whereas sTfR by itself had a low sensitivity. We showed that neither the sTfR nor sTfR-F index was affected by third-generation OC use. The sTfR measurement is useful in the diagnosis of ID, especially in women using OC, where Tf and TfS tests may be misleading. ((c) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved
Evaluation of iron deficiency in young women in relation to oral contraceptive use
No full textBackground: The purpose of this study was to identify the optimal measures for diagnosing iron deficiency (ID) in oral contraceptive (OC) users and nonusers, and to estimate ID frequency in relation to OC use. Study Design: Conventional biomarkers of iron status - serum ferritin, iron, transferrin (Tf) and transferrin saturation (TfS) - were compared with serum soluble Tf receptor (sTfR) and the sTfR/log ferritin ratio (sTfR-F index). Two hundred two healthy menstruating white Italian women (aged 24 +/- 4.8 years) were analyzed. Serum ferritin concentrations < 12 mu g/L were considered as ID. Results: ID was detected in 29.7% (60/202) of the study women. Fifty-nine women were OC users (59/202, 29.2%). OC use did not significantly affect ID prevalence (p=.24). However, OC use markedly increased Tf in OC users, who had an odds ratio (OR) of 9.3 (CI 3.822.7, p <.001) for elevated Tf > 330 mg/dL. No other iron status measure was affected by OC. Of the markers for ID adjunctive to ferritin, an elevated sTfR-F index >= 1.5 showed the best performance. Specifically in OC users, the elevated sTfR-F index had better sensitivity (81.0% vs. 33.3%), specificity (94.7% vs. 92.1%), efficiency (89.8% vs. 71.2%), positive predictive value (89.5% vs. 70.0%) and negative predictive value (90.0% vs. 71.1%) than a TfS < 15%. Additionally, the sTfR-F index allowed the identification of low iron stores in 4.5% (9/202) of women with ferritin >= 12 mu g/L. Conclusion: Among healthy OC users and non-OC users, the sTfR-F index had the highest performance for diagnosing ID compared with other serum markers adjunctive to ferritin measurements, whereas sTfR by itself had a low sensitivity. We showed that neither the sTfR nor sTfR-F index was affected by third-generation OC use. The sTfR measurement is useful in the diagnosis of ID, especially in women using OC, where Tf and TfS tests may be misleading. ((c) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved
Trichomonas vaginalis, and Yeast Modulate Vaginal Immune Response among Pregnant Women with Bacterial Vaginosis
No full textElevated levels of vaginal IL-1beta are positively associated with sialidase, anti-Gvh IgA, and IL-8 in vaginal fluid of BV positive pregnant women
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