Home-based versus clinic-based specimen collection in the management of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections.

BACKGROUND: Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) are the most frequent causes of bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Management strategies that reduce losses in the clinical pathway from infection to cure might improve STI control and reduce complications resulting from lack of, or inadequate, treatment. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness and safety of home-based specimen collection as part of the management strategy for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections compared with clinic-based specimen collection in sexually-active people. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Sexually Transmitted Infections Group Specialized Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE and LILACS on 27 May 2015, together with the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry (ICTRP) and ClinicalTrials.gov. We also handsearched conference proceedings, contacted trial authors and reviewed the reference lists of retrieved studies. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of home-based compared with clinic-based specimen collection in the management of C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae infections. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Three review authors independently assessed trials for inclusion, extracted data and assessed risk of bias. We contacted study authors for additional information. We resolved any disagreements through consensus. We used standard methodological procedures recommended by Cochrane. The primary outcome was index case management, defined as the number of participants tested, diagnosed and treated, if test positive. MAIN RESULTS: Ten trials involving 10,479 participants were included. There was inconclusive evidence of an effect on the proportion of participants with index case management (defined as individuals tested, diagnosed and treated for CT or NG, or both) in the group with home-based (45/778, 5.8%) compared with clinic-based (51/788, 6.5%) specimen collection (risk ratio (RR) 0.88, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.60 to 1.29; 3 trials, I² = 0%, 1566 participants, moderate quality). Harms of home-based specimen collection were not evaluated in any trial. All 10 trials compared the proportions of individuals tested. The results for the proportion of participants completing testing had high heterogeneity (I² = 100%) and were not pooled. We could not combine data from individual studies looking at the number of participants tested because the proportions varied widely across the studies, ranging from 30% to 96% in home group and 6% to 97% in clinic group (low-quality evidence). The number of participants with positive test was lower in the home-based specimen collection group (240/2074, 11.6%) compared with the clinic-based group (179/967, 18.5%) (RR 0.72, 95% CI 0.61 to 0.86; 9 trials, I² = 0%, 3041 participants, moderate quality). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Home-based specimen collection could result in similar levels of index case management for CT or NG infection when compared with clinic-based specimen collection. Increases in the proportion of individuals tested as a result of home-based, compared with clinic-based, specimen collection are offset by a lower proportion of positive results. The harms of home-based specimen collection compared with clinic-based specimen collection have not been evaluated. Future RCTs to assess the effectiveness of home-based specimen collection should be designed to measure biological outcomes of STI case management, such as proportion of participants with negative tests for the relevant STI at follow-up.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of the bivalent and quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccines from a societal perspective in Colombia.

OBJECTIVE: To compare costs and effectiveness of three strategies used against cervical cancer (CC) and genital warts: (i) Screening for CC; (ii) Bivalent Human Papillomavirus (HPV) 16/18 vaccine added to screening; (iii) Quadrivalent HPV 6/11/16/18 vaccine added to screening. METHODS: A Markov model was designed in order to simulate the natural history of the disease from 12 years of age (vaccination) until death. Transition probabilities were selected or adjusted to match the HPV infection profile in Colombia. A systematic review was undertaken in order to derive efficacy values for the two vaccines as well as for the operational characteristics of the cytology test. The societal perspective was used. Effectiveness was measured in number of averted Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYS). RESULTS: At commercial prices reported for 2010 the two vaccines were shown to be non-cost-effective alternatives when compared with the existing screening strategy. Sensitivity analyses showed that results are affected by the cost of vaccines and their efficacy values, making it difficult to determine with certainty which of the two vaccines has the best cost-effectiveness profile. To be 'cost-effective' vaccines should cost between 141 and 147 USD (Unite States Dollars) per vaccinated girl at the most. But at lower prices such as those recommended by WHO or the price of other vaccines in Colombia, HPV vaccination could be considered very cost-effective. CONCLUSIONS: HPV vaccination could be a convenient alternative for the prevention of CC in Colombia. However, the price of the vaccine should be lower for this vaccination strategy to be cost-effective. It is also important to take into consideration the willingness to pay, budgetary impact, and program implications, in order to determine the relevance of a vaccination program in this country, as well as which vaccine should be selected for use in the program.

Tumor adenomatoide del tracto genital femenino: Informe de dos casos de cuerpo uterino y ovario, y revisión de la literatura / Adenomatoid tumour of the female genital tract: A report of two cases located in the uterine body and ovary and review of the pertinent literature

Objetivo: informar dos casos de tumor adenomatoide (TA) del tracto genital femenino y efectuar una revisión de la literatura, con énfasis en sus aspectos histopatológicos y diagnóstico diferencial. Presentación de los casos: se informan dos casos de TA del tracto genital femenino, diagnosticados mediante estudios histológicos y de inmunohistoquímica de piezas quirúrgicas. El primero corresponde a una paciente de 39 años que consultó por hemorragia uterina, a quien se le realizó diagnóstico clínico y ecográfico de miomatosis uterina, para el cual se le practicó histerectomía y cuyo estudio patológico demostró un tumor adenomatoide del cuerpo uterino. El segundo caso se presentó en una paciente de 26 años con masa de ovario izquierdo, cuyo material histológico fue remitido para consulta con diagnóstico inicial de tumor de seno endodérmico. Discusión: el TA es un tumor benigno de origen mesotelial, infrecuente en el tracto genital femenino, cuyo tratamiento sólo requiere cirugía conservadora. Su diagnóstico diferencial incluye tumores malignos primarios y metastáticos, tanto del cuerpo uterino como del ovario, que de acuerdo con su estado clínico, requieren para su manejo cirugía oncológica y quimioterapia y/o radioterapia complementarias.

Objective: reporting two cases of adenomatoid tumour (AT) of the female genital tract and to reviewing the pertinent literature, emphasising histopathological features and differential diagnosis. Cases report: two cases of AT of the female genital tract are reported; they were diagnosed by histological and immunohistochemistry studies of surgical specimens. The first case concerned a 39-year-old woman who consulted for uterine bleeding; uterine myomatosis was suggested by clinical and ultrasonographic diagnosis, but the pathological study revealed an AT. The second case concernid a 26-year-old woman with a left ovarian mass. Ooforectomy initially diagnosed the histological material as endodermal sinus tumour and it was then sent for consultation. Discussion: AT is an infrequently occurring mesothelial benign tumour of the female genital tract; its treatment only requires conservative surgery. Its differential diagnosis includes malignant primary and metastatic tumours of both the uterine body and the ovaries, requiring oncologic resection and complementary chemo-and/or radiotherapy, according to their clinical state.