Journal of Lower Genital Tract Disease最新文献

Objectives: The objective of this study is to investigate vulvovaginal disease (VVD) awareness in Italian obstetrics and gynecology (Ob/Gyn) residents.

Materials and methods: A 25-question survey on VVD basic knowledge (17 questions) and willingness to improve it (8 questions) was distributed through Ob/Gyn resident online group chats, from different Italian Universities in January 2023. A total number of 250 residents were invited to participate; 124 responses were obtained (response rate: 50%). Data were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics through REDCap.

Results: Overall, 87 of the 124 respondents (70%) fully completed the questionnaire and represented the study group. Residents were distributed among years of residency: 15% first year, 31% second year, 23% third year, 11% fourth year, and 20% fifth year. Most (60%) never attended a VVD clinic during residency, with an increasing percentage of attendance in later residency years (15% at first year vs 65% at fifth).Participants reported low knowledge of vulvar precancerous lesions and vulvoscopy but better knowledge of vaginitis, vulvar self-examination, and lichen sclerosus. Of the respondents, 50% were not satisfied with the education provided during residency, and more than 60% lacked confidence in managing VVD.All participants expressed a strong desire to improve their knowledge and skills, with 100% agreeing that every gynecologist should know the "basics" and 98% wanting to improve their knowledge through webinars (45%), lessons (34%), newsletters, and videos (19%).

Conclusion: Our findings indicate a significant need to improve VVD knowledge among Italian Ob/Gyn residents. Further efforts are necessary to provide information about VVD and comprehensive training programs in Italian Universities.

Objectives: We aimed to examine the diagnostic value of colposcopy in a large cohort of pregnant women with unexplained vaginal bleeding during the second or third trimester.

Materials and methods: This retrospective study included women who underwent colposcopy due to vaginal bleeding in the second and third trimesters during 2012-2022 at a tertiary care hospital. Demographics, obstetric data, bleeding characteristics, colposcopy results, cervical cytology testing, a sonogram directed at the placenta, and birth details were collected.

Results: In total, 364 women were included. The mean maternal age was 29.7 years and the mean gestational age at examination was 30.7 weeks. Vaginal bleeding was mild in 80.8%, moderate in 14.6%, and severe in 4.7%. Only 3.3% had been vaccinated against human papilloma virus and 25.5% underwent a Pap smear study before pregnancy. Colposcopy diagnosed the bleeding source in 83 women (22.8%). The colposcopic examination revealed vaginal bleeding due to contact bleeding from ectropion in 46 (12.6%), a decidual/cervical polyp in 37 (10.2%), acetowhite epithelium in 12 (3.3%), herpes genetalis in 2 (0.5%), and bleeding from vaginal varices in 2 (0.5%). Of those who were recommended a follow-up examination after the postpartum period, only 49.1% completed such.Among women with compared to without postcoital bleeding ( N = 72), the risk of abnormal colposcopic findings was higher (24 [33.3%] vs 54 [19.7%], p = .017) and the rate of abnormal Pap smear was higher (7 [13.2%] vs 7 [3.2%], p = .008).

Conclusions: Colposcopy can be a valuable diagnostic tool for women with unexplained vaginal bleeding in the second or third trimester.

Objectives: We set out to assess the efficacy of physiotherapy for vulvodynia.

Materials and methods: PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, SciELO, PEDro, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched in February 2023. Two authors selected and extracted the data independently. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool (Rob 2). Because of the high heterogeneity presented between the studies, it was not possible to carry out qualitative analysis. The results were presented narratively. This systematic review was registered with the PROSPERO database.

Results: A total of 2,274 articles were retrieved. Seven studies met the criteria and were included in a systematic review, which included a total of 477 patients. The interventions included were electromyography biofeedback ( n = 2), transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation ( n = 1), transcranial direct current stimulation ( n = 1), low-intensity shockwave ( n = 1), physiotherapy treatment ( n = 1), and pelvic floor exercise with behavioral modification ( n = 1). All studies evaluated pain reduction, 5 evaluated sexual function, and 2 evaluated quality of life. All interventions were effective for the main outcomes; only the transcranial direct current stimulation intervention showed no significant difference when compared with the placebo or sham group. Three studies presented a high risk of bias due to the lack of blinding.

Conclusions: The studied interventions (electromyography biofeedback, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, shockwave, physiotherapy, and pelvic floor exercise) seem to improve pain, sexual function, and quality of life. However, the heterogeneity of the studies prevented meta-analysis. In addition, well-designed trials are needed to improve the certainty of this evidence.

Objectives: Vulvar ulcers can be challenging to diagnose, manage, and treat. Ulcers can be nonspecific in appearance and have many etiologies. Description of the lesion is very important.

Methods: An interactive vulvar ulcer algorithm was created to aid in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of vulvar ulcers.

Results: The algorithm flowchart begins with careful history and physical examination. Pending these, specific tests can be obtained to aid in diagnosis. The algorithm also links to appropriate treatments. The algorithm can be accessed on the International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disease Web site ( issvd.org ). Each underlined word in the algorithm is a hyperlink that leads to a wealth of information on the topic that providers can use to direct testing and aid in diagnosis and treatment.

Conclusions: The vulvar ulcer algorithm can help clinicians with diagnosis and treatment plans.

Background: Lichen sclerosus (LS) is a chronic, inflammatory process affecting predominantly anogenital skin, with extragenital involvement in up to 20% of cases. The mainstay of therapy for anogenital LS is topical immunosuppression. However, in treatment-refractory cases, severe, or hypertrophic disease, systemic modalities may be used. Currently, there are no guidelines for systemic therapy in LS.

Objective: This study aimed to provide a review of the current literature on use of systemic therapies for LS, including demographic and clinical features of LS, as well as reported outcomes.

Methods: A primary literature search was conducted using the following databases: PubMed, Ovid, Scopus, and Web of Science, from the year the journal was published until June 2022.

Results: Ultimately, 71 studies consisting of 392 patients were included. Of these, 65% (n = 254) had anogenital disease, 9% (n = 36) had extragenital disease, and 19% (n = 73) had both anogenital and extragenital disease, and in 7% (n = 29) of cases, location was not specified. The most frequent therapies, stratified by total cases, included oral retinoids (n = 227), methotrexate (n = 59), hydroxychloroquine (n = 36), and systemic steroids (prednisone, methylprednisolone, prednisolone, oral triamcinolone, and other systemic steroids) (n = 60). Overall, 76% (n = 194) of anogenital, 94% (n = 34) of extragenital, and 81% (n = 59) of patients with both anogenital and extragenital involvement were reported to have clinical or symptomatic improvement.

Conclusion: Overall, we found many therapies that have been used with reported success for extragenital and genital LS. However, future studies are needed to better define treatment outcomes and directly compare efficacy of different therapies for LS.

Introduction: Vulvodynia is defined as vulvar pain of at least 3 months' duration, without clear identifiable cause, which may have potential associated factors. It can have a significant impact on women's quality of life due to a combination of physical pain, emotional distress, and limited treatment options. Despite affecting a considerable number of women worldwide, the causes and underlying mechanisms of vulvodynia remain poorly understood. Given the recognized association of the vaginal microbiota with various gynecologic disorders, there has been growing interest in exploring the potential role of the vaginal microbiota in the etiology of vulvodynia. This systematic review aims to evaluate the current literature on the association between the vaginal microbiota and vulvodynia.

Material and methods: A systematic search of multiple databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Ovid MEDLINE, was conducted to identify relevant peer-reviewed studies up to May 12, 2023. The following search terms were used across these databases: "vulvodynia," "vestibulodynia," "vulvar vestibulitis," "microbiome," "microbiota," and "flora."

Results: A total of 8 case-control studies were included, the quality of which was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Data extraction and synthesis were performed using a standardized protocol. In most studies, no major differences were found between the vaginal bacterial composition of women with vulvodynia and that of controls. No specific bacterial taxa were consistently associated with vulvodynia. The relationship between vaginal microbiota diversity and vulvodynia remains to be fully understood.

Conclusions: The role of vaginal microbiota in vulvodynia, if any, remains unclear. Because of the cross-sectional nature of the included studies, it is not possible to make any causal inferences. Further research, using larger and more diverse study populations and advanced sequencing techniques, is necessary to gain a better understanding of the potential relationship between the vaginal microbiota and vulvodynia.

Abstract: The aim of the study is to assess the recurrence rate (as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2+ [CIN2+]) in patients who had a confirmed high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (CIN2-3) in a cervical biopsy specimen followed by a negative conization specimen.

Materials and methods: A systematic literature review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses checklist. Ovid/MEDLINE, Ovid/Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched from inception until January 2023. The study protocol was registered in PROSPERO (ID number CRD42023393951). The search identified 3,089 articles; 1,530 were removed as duplicates, and 1,559 titles and abstracts were assessed for inclusion. The full text of 26 studies was assessed for eligibility, and finally, 12 studies with 1,036 patients were included. All included studies were retrospective cohort studies. A proportion meta-analysis was performed.

Results: For patients with negative conization specimens, the recurrence rate as CIN2+ during follow-up was 6% (95% CI, 1.8%-12.1%; I2 = 49.2; p < .0001, 215 patients and 4 studies) in the proportion meta-analysis, ranging from 0.3% to 13.0% for the individual studies. For patients with ≤CIN1 conization specimens, the recurrence rate as CIN2+ during follow-up was 3.6% (95% CI, 1.2%-7%; I2 = 75.1; p < .0001, 991 patients and 10 studies) in the proportion meta-analysis and ranged from 0.6% to 13.0% for the individual studies.

Conclusions: The recurrence rate as CIN2+ for patients with a confirmed high-grade intraepithelial lesion on a cervical biopsy followed by a negative conization specimen is 6%. In patients with negative and CIN1 conization specimens, the recurrence rate is 3.6%.