Could tranexamic acid be a suitable alternative to cryotherapy for symptomatic cervical ectopy? Results from a randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: Cervical ectropion occurs due to the eversion of the endocervix that exposes glandular cells to the vaginal milieu. The aim of the present study was to evaluate and compare the clinical efficacy of effervescent vaginal tablets of tranexamic acid and cryotherapy in women with symptomatic cervical ectopy. METHODS: The current randomized clinical trial was conducted on 92 samples of women with cervical erosive ectropion from March 20, 2022 to August 27, 2022. Participants were divided into two groups; the intervention group (n = 46) was treated with a 400 mg effervescent vaginal tablet of tranexamic acid and the control group (n = 46) underwent cryotherapy. All the patients were requested to visit weekly in the first month and then monthly for the next 3 months, and the outcomes encompass improvement of symptoms (leukorrhea, dyspareunia, pelvic pain, post-coital bleeding, and suprapubic pain) and cervical erosive ectropion view were monitored based on repeated examinations. RESULTS: In this study, no statistically significant difference was observed in cure rate of symptoms between study groups (P value > 0.05). Women in both the tranexamic acid and cryotherapy groups reported significant improvements in dyspareunia (34 [75%] vs 31 [67%]), pelvic pain (34 [75%] vs 34 [74%]), post-coital bleeding (37 [81%] vs 31 [67%]), leukorrhea (36 [78%] vs 36 [78%]), suprapubic pain (32 [71%] vs 33 [73%]) disappearance of cervical ectropion tranexamic acid (40 [86%], vs 39 [84%]). CONCLUSION: Our findings highlighted the equal effect of tranexamic acid and cryotherapy for treating cervical ectropion. Due to the ease of use, availability, and fewer side effects of tranexamic acid, it can be a suitable alternative to cryotherapy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: IRCT20220115053719N1. The name of the registry: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials. URL of registration: https://en.irct.ir/trial/61483.

Efficacy of Ibuprofen Lysine on First-Trimester AbortionRelated Pain and Hemorrhage: A Randomized TripleBlinded Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Some recent trials have reported high efficacy for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in relieving medical abortion-related pain. The aim of this study was to determine the beneficial effect of oral NSAIDs (ibuprofen lysine) in reduction of pain and hemorrhage in first-trimester medical abortion. METHODS: This randomized triple-blinded clinical trial was performed on 98 pregnant women who were candidate for medical abortion within the first-trimester period (gestational age<12 weeks). The participants were randomly assigned to receive ibuprofen lysine (684 mg orally every 4 hours) or placebo. All patients were initially treated with misoprostol (800 µg every 3 hours). Pain intensity and rate of hemorrhage were assessed every hour up to 15 hours after receiving the first dose of misoprostol by visual analogue scaling (VAS) and pictorial blood loss assessment chart (PBAC), respectively. RESULTS: Assessing the mean pain score within 15 hours of receiving misoprostol showed significantly lower pain intensity within the first 10 hours of assessment in the group receiving NSAID in comparison with the control group (P<0.001). The bleeding rate was also significantly lower in the NSAID group at the fifth (P=0.013) and ninth (P=0.040) hour of receiving misoprostol compared to the control group. We found no difference in abortion-related complication rate between the NSAID and placebo groups (8.3% versus 8.0%, P=0.952). CONCLUSION: The use of NSAIDs (ibuprofen lysine) is a good pharmacological analgesic option for relieving medical abortionrelated pain and hemorrhage.

The Outcome of Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer in Patients Treated with Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Followed by Radical Hysterectomy and Primary Surgery.

Background: In recent years, before radical hysterectomy, neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) has been administered to patients with locally advanced cervical cancer to shrink large tumors. It has been reported that this treatment significantly reduces the need for radiotherapy after surgery. The current study aimed to assess the outcome (survival, recurrence, and the need for adjuvant radiotherapy) of locally advanced cervical cancer in patients treated with NACT followed by radical hysterectomy and primary surgery. Methods: In a retrospective cohort study, the records of 258 patients with cervical cancer (stage IB2, IIA, or IIB), who referred to Imam Khomeini Hospital (Tehran, Iran) from 2007 to 2017 were evaluated. The patients were assigned into two groups; group A (n=58) included patients, who underwent radical hysterectomy and group B (n=44) included those, who underwent a radical hysterectomy after NACT. The outcome measures were the recurrence rate, five-year survival rate, and the need for adjuvant radiotherapy. Results: The median for overall survival time in group A and B was 113.65 and 112.88 months, respectively (P=0.970). There was no recurrence among patients with stage IB2 cervical cancer in group B, while the recurrence rate in group A was 19.5% with a median recurrence time of 59.13 months. Lymph node involvement was the only factor that affected patients' survival. The need for postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy in group B was lower than in group A (P=0.002). Conclusion: NACT before the hysterectomy was found to reduce the need for postoperative radiotherapy in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer according to disease stages. As a direct result, adverse side effects and the recurrence rate were reduced, and the overall survival rate of patients with stage IIB cervical cancer was increased.

Prevalence of Parvovirus B19 Infection by Serology and PCR in Pregnant Women Referring to Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic.

OBJECTIVE: Infection by Primate erythroparvovirus 1, generally known Parvovirus B19, is highly prevalent worldwide. Although infection by this virus will not be clinically problematic in most cases, new infections during pregnancy could result in serious repercussions in the fetus. Serologic and PCR-based methods are among the available approaches for diagnosis of Parvovirus B19 infection. In this regard, the present study is aimed to investigate the frequency of Parvovirus B19 infection by these two techniques in pregnant women of Zanjan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this cross sectional-descriptive study, 110 pregnant women referring to Mousavi hospital in Zanjan during one year were evaluated in terms of serologic and Real-Time PCR test results in search for Parvovirus B19 infection. The rate of positive IgG and IgM were determined in women and the Real-Time PCR results were reported. RESULTS: Overall, 18.2% of participants were above 35 years old and 4.5% of them were younger than 18 years old. 41 (44.1%) and 2 (1.8%) cases had positive anti-Parvovirus B19 IgG and IgM, respectively. Real-Time PCR results were negative in all the studied samples. CONCLUSION: Based on the findings of this study, prevalence of acute Parvovirus B19 infection was 0 and 2% based on Real-Time PCR and IgM tests, respectively. About 40% of pregnant women had experienced infection with this virus before.