Acceptability and Preferences of Dry HR HPV Self-Sampling Mailed Kits Among Canadian Women: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted disease, is identified as the source of 99.7% of cervical cancers. Screening for cervical cancer using oncogenic HPV (high-risk [HR] HPV) detection is more sensitive than traditional cytology. However, few Canadian data exist on HR HPV self-sampling. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the acceptability of HR HPV self-sampling by patients, the percentage of correctly collected samples, the return rate of mailed kits, and the HPV positivity rate in a population sample based on different cervical cancer risk factors. METHODS: We conducted an observational cross-sectional study on HPV primary cervical cancer screening with self-collected cervicovaginal samples through mail service. RESULTS: A total of 400 kits were mailed and 310 kits were returned, making a return rate of 77.5%. Of these, 84.2% of patients were very satisfied with this method and 95.8% (297/310) of patients would choose self-sampling over cytology as their primary screening method. All patients would recommend this screening method to their friends or family members. Of the samples, 93.8% could be analyzed correctly and the HPV positivity rate was 11.7%. CONCLUSION: In this large and random sample, there was a strong interest in self-testing. Offering HR HPV self-sampling could increase access to cervical cancer screening. The self-screening method could also be a part of the solution to reaching under-screened populations, in particular, those who do not have a family doctor or avoid gynaecologic exams because of pain or anxiety.

High-Intensity Laser Therapy (HILT) as an Emerging Treatment for Vulvodynia and Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain Disorders: A Systematic Review of Treatment Efficacy.

High-intensity laser therapy (HILT) has been gaining popularity in the treatment of chronic musculoskeletal pain, including vulvodynia. The objective of this study was to critically appraise and synthesize the available evidence on the efficacy of HILT for reducing pain and improving function in vulvodynia and other chronic primary musculoskeletal pain conditions. Electronic databases and the grey literature were searched. Effects on pain intensity, function, and adverse events were assessed. One study investigating HILT in the treatment of vulvodynia and 13 studies on the treatment of chronic musculoskeletal pain were selected. The study assessing vulvodynia showed favorable results for reducing pain. Regarding chronic musculoskeletal pain, 12 out of the 13 studies selected consistently showed that HILT was more effective than the placebo/active comparator for reducing pain and improving function. The available effect sizes for pain showed large to huge effects. Similar effects were observed for function except for two studies showing moderate effects. The GRADE score was moderate. Conclusions: There are insufficient data to support the use of HILT in vulvodynia, but the promising results encourage further research. HILT appears to be effective in musculoskeletal pain conditions. More high-quality studies are needed to identify effective laser protocols.

Reduction of total labor length through the addition of parenteral dextrose solution in induction of labor in nulliparous: results of DEXTRONS prospective randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Prolonged labor is a significant cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and very few interventions are known to shorten labor course. Skeletal muscle physiology suggests that glucose supplementation might improve muscle performance in case of prolonged exercise and this situation is analogous to the gravid uterus during delivery. Therefore, it seemed imperative to evaluate the impact of adding carbohydrate supplements on the course of labor. OBJECTIVE: We sought to provide evidence as to whether intravenous glucose supplementation during labor induction in nulliparous women can reduce total duration of active labor. STUDY DESIGN: We performed a single-center prospective double-blind randomized controlled trial comparing the use of parental intravenous dextrose 5% with normal saline to normal saline in induced nulliparous women. The study was conducted in a tertiary-level university hospital setting. Participants, caregivers, and those assessing the outcomes were blinded to group assignment. Inclusion criteria were singleton pregnancy at term with cephalic presentation and favorable cervix. Based on blocked randomization, patients were assigned to receive either 250 mL/h of intravenous dextrose 5% with normal saline or 250 mL/h of normal saline for the whole duration of induction, labor, and delivery. The primary outcome studied was the total length of active labor. Secondary outcomes included duration of the active phase of second stage of labor, the mode of delivery, Apgar scores, and arterial cord pH. RESULTS: In all, 100 patients were randomized into each group. A total of 193 patients (96 in the dextrose with normal saline group and 97 in the normal saline group) were analyzed in the study. The median total duration of labor was significantly less in the dextrose with normal saline group (499 vs 423 minutes, P = .024) than in the normal saline group. The probabilities of a woman being delivered at 200 minutes and 450 minutes were 18.8% and 77.1% in the dextrose with normal saline group vs 8.2% and 59.8% in the normal saline group (Kolmogorov-Smirnov test P value = .027). There was no difference in the rate of cesarean delivery, instrumented delivery, Apgar score, or arterial cord pH. CONCLUSION: Glucose supplementation significantly reduces the total length of labor without increasing the rate of complication in induced nulliparous women. Given the low cost and the safety of this intervention, glucose should be used as the default solute during labor.