Imiquimod Is Effective in Reducing Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Topical Imiquimod is an immune response modifier approved for the off-label use of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia. We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the efficacy and safety of Imiquimod in treating cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive patients. METHODS: The study was prospectively registered (CRD420222870) and involved a comprehensive systematic search of five medical databases on 10 October 2022. We included articles that assessed the use of Imiquimod in cervical dysplasia and HPV-positive patients. Pooled proportions, risk ratios (RRs), and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random effects model to generate summary estimates. Statistical heterogeneity was assessed using I2 tested by the Cochran Q tests. RESULTS: Eight articles reported on 398 patients who received Imiquimod out of 672 patients. Among CIN-2-3 patients, we observed a pooled regression rate of 61% (CI: 0.46-0.75; I2: 77%). When compared, Imiquimod was inferior to conization (RR: 0.62; CI: 0.42-0.92; I2: 64%). The HPV clearance rate in women who completed Imiquimod treatment was 60% (CI: 0.31-0.81; I2: 57%). The majority of side effects reported were mild to moderate in severity. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that topical Imiquimod is safe and effective in reducing cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and promoting HPV clearance. However, it was found to be inferior compared to conization. Imiquimod could be considered a potential medication for high-grade CIN patients and should be incorporated into guidelines for treating cervical dysplasia.

Routine screening of abnormal vaginal flora during pregnancy reduces the odds of preterm birth: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Prematurity is the leading cause of perinatal mortality and the morbidity among children under the age of 5. The prevalence of preterm birth is between 5 and 18% worldwide. Approximately 30% of preterm deliveries occur as a consequence of fetal or maternal infections. Bacterial vaginosis can increase the risk of ascending infections. However, there is no recommendation or protocol for screening of abnormal vaginal flora. The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the effectiveness of routine screening of abnormal vaginal flora during pregnancy care. We conducted our systematic search in the following databases: MEDLINE via PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library. Studies reporting on pregnant women with no symptoms of bacterial vaginosis were included in our analysis if they provided data on the outcome of their pregnancy. The intervention group went through screening of abnormal vaginal flora in addition to routine pregnancy care. Odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) was used as effect size measure. From each study the total number of patients and number of events was extracted in both the intervention and control arm to calculate OR. Altogether we included 13 trials with 143,534 patients. The screening methods were Gram stain, pH screening, pH self-screening and pH screening combined with Gram stain. Regular screening of vaginal flora compared to no screening significantly reduces the odds of preterm birth before 37 weeks (8.98% vs 9.42%; OR 0.71, CI 0.57-0.87), birthweight under 2500 g (6.53% vs 7.24%; OR 0.64, CI 0.50-0.81), preterm birth before 32 weeks (1.35% vs 2.03%; OR 0.51, CI 0.31-0.85) and birthweight under 1000 g (0.86% vs 2.2%; OR 0.33, CI 0.19-0.57). In conclusion, the routine screening of abnormal vaginal flora might prevent preterm birth, extreme preterm birth, low birthweight deliveries and very low birthweight deliveries. Further research is needed to assess the problem more accurately.

Trichomonas vaginalis infection is associated with increased risk of cervical carcinogenesis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 470 000 patients.

BACKGROUND: Trichomonas vaginalis infection is the most prevalent non-viral sexually transmitted infection (STI) in women and has been suggested as a risk factor for developing cervical cancer. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the associations between T. vaginalis infection and cervical carcinogenesis. SEARCH STRATEGY: A comprehensive systematic search was conducted in five databases on 21 October 2021. SELECTION CRITERIA: Studies assessing the relationship between T. vaginalis infection, HPV co-infections, cervical dysplasia, and cervical cancer were found eligible. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Summary estimates for pooled odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated with a random-effects model. Statistical heterogeneity was measured with I2 and Cochran's Q tests. MAIN RESULTS: The 29 articles included 473 740 women, of whom 8518 were T. vaginalis-positive. Our results showed that T. vaginalis-infected women had 1.79 times higher odds of being diagnosed with HPV co-infection (95% CI 1.27-2.53; I2 95%). We also found that T. vaginalis infection was associated with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion diagnosis (OR 2.34, 95% CI 1.10-4.95; I2 75%) and cervical cancer (OR 5.23, 95% CI 3.03-9.04; I2 3%). CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed an association between T. vaginalis and cervical carcinogenesis in sexually active women.

Rare abdominal bleeding from the branches of the splenic vein during pregnancy / Ritka hasuri vérzés a vena lienalis ágrendszerébol várandósság alatt.

Összefoglaló. Az "akut has", mint kórkép, a várandósság során mind diagnosztikailag, mind terápiásan nagy kihívást jelent a szülész számára a megváltozott anatómiai viszonyok és a képalkotó eljárások korlátozott használhatósága miatt. Közleményünkben bemutatjuk egy harmadik trimeszterbeli gravida hasi vérömlenyének az esetét, melynek vérzésforrása irodalmi ritkaság, a vérzés típusát a felkeresheto irodalomban még nem írták le terheseknél. Az esettanulmány megírása a páciens orvosi dokumentációi és az ellátásában résztvevo klinikusok, patológusok leletei és beszámolói alapján történt. A várandósságának 33. hetében járó gravida akut hasi tünetegyüttessel jelentkezett klinikánkon, anamnézisébol trauma kizárható volt. Az anya romló kardiorespiratorikus állapota miatt sürgosségi császármetszéssel élo, koraszülött magzatot segítettünk világra. A mutét során kb. 1500 ml vért találtunk a hasüregben, melynek okát általános sebész bevonásával kerestük. Aktív vérzésforrásként a lép ereinek területérol vénás jellegu szivárgó vérzést találtunk, ezért splenectomia mellett döntöttünk. Az eltávolított szervkomplexum teljes szövettani feldolgozása helyenként a kisebb léphilusi vénaágak izomfalának felrostozódását és fokozatos eltunését igazolta, a patológus a vérzés okát a meggyengült érfal endothelen keresztüli vérszivárgásának véleményezte, definitív érfalszakadásra utaló elváltozás nem volt azonosítható. A haemoperitoneum várandósság alatt kifejezetten ritka kórkép, azonban mortalitása mind az anyára, mind a magzatra nézve rendkívül magas. Irodalmi adatok alapján a vérzésforrás leggyakrabban a kismedencei szervek területén jelentkezik. Ritkán a lépartéria aneurysmájának rupturája is elofordul terhességben, a lépvénás eredetu vérzés viszont irodalmi ritkaságnak számít, és az összes feldolgozott és közölt esetben az ér szakadásos sérülése volt a fo ok, az esetünkben leírt, ismeretlen etiológiájú, érfalvesztéses hemorrhágiát sehol nem említik. A várandósunk ellátásánál ellátásánál kulcsfontosságú volt a gyorsan elvégzett exploratív laparotomia, mely a kórkép okát felderítette és megszüntette, lehetové téve az anya és gyermeke túlélését és felépülését. Esetünk rámutat arra, hogy a várandóssági hasuri vérömlenyek kóroktana akár irodalmi ritkaságokat is rejthet, azaz a pontos ok kiderítésével, lumenes vérzésforrás keresésével nem szabad szükségtelen idot veszteni az édesanya és gyermeke életmento ellátásának rovására. Orv Hetil. 2022; 163(8): 328-332. Summary. Acute abdomen during pregnancy is a major challenge for physicians, due to the altered anatomical conditions and the limited use of medical imaging. We present a pregnant woman with a rare form of abdominal bleeding. This case study is based on the patient's medical documentations and interviews with her physicians. A woman in the 33rd week of her pregnancy was admitted to our department with acute abdomen, trauma was ruled out. Due to the deteriorating cardiorespiratory status we performed an emergency caesarean section delivering a living premature newborn. A general surgeon was present, and 1500 ml of blood was evacuated from the abdomen. Active venous type bleeding was present from the splenic vessels, therefore we performed a splenectomy. The histopathological analysis of the whole organ complex showed that the media layer segmentally and progressively disappeared in the splenic hilar veins, giving rise to the high probability that the bleeding was caused by a diathesis-type leakage through the endothelium and to the weakened media layer in the absence of a luminal-type vessel rupture. Hemoperitoneum during pregnancy is an exceptionally rare condition, however its mortality rate is high both for the mother and the fetus. The bleeding usually originates from the pelvis. On rare occasions the bleeding occurs from the splenic vessels although most of them are arterial bleedings from an aneurysm.In our case the emergency laparotomy was essential for the correct diagnosis and the treatment, which resulted in saving and recovering both the mother and the fetus. Orv Hetil. 2022; 163(8): 328-332.