Background: Data concerning the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the female genital system is scarce; however, this information is important for understanding whether the virus can transmit sexually or from mother to child. The aim of this study was to investigate whether pregnant women with COVID-19 have virus in their lower genital tract. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we present an analysis of prospectively gathered data collected at a single tertiary university hospital from 19 April to 19 May 2020. We included 13 pregnant women hospitalized with suspected COVID-19. Results of laboratory tests, imaging tests, and nucleic acid tests on vaginal swabs for SARS-CoV-2 were also analyzed for pregnant women with a clinical diagnosis of COVID-19. Results: Twelve pregnant women with confirmed COVID-19 were included in this study. Mean age was 32 ± 7.9 years. All patients had mild symptoms and were followed in the maternity ward, with none of them needing critical care unit follow-up. All lower genital tract samples were negative for SARS-CoV-2. Conclusion: We demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 was not present in the vaginal fluid of pregnant women. This finding may indicate that the female genital tract is not a route of SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
BackgroundAmong the pregnancy urinary tract infections, asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) is the most common one. Untreated ASB can progress to pyelonephritis in 30-50% of the patients and can also result in prematurity in 27% of the pregnancy so it needs immediate diagnosis and treatment. In this study, we wanted to evaluate procalcitonin levels, compared to other inflammatory in pregnant women with ASB.MethodsThe study was designed between the period of January 2012 and February 2013 at Sakarya University School of Medicine, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics. The study population included 30 pregnant patients with asymptomatic bacteriuria and 39 healthy pregnant controls.ResultsMean age was 28 (SD, 5.5) of the study population; mean maternal weight was 70 (SD, 8) kilogram. There were no statically significant differences between the groups according to the routine biochemical parameters, but gestational age was significantly lower in the ASB group compared to the controls (20.4 vs 28.6, respectively; p < 0.001). Serum procalcitonin levels were negative in all of the controls. In ASB group, 9 (30%) patients had procalcitonin levels greater than >0.05 ng/ml and 21(70%) patients had negative procalcitonin levels (Chi-squrae, p < 0.001). The sensitivity and specificity of procalcitonin assay for ASB was calculated as 30% and 100%, respectively. The positive predictive value was 100% and the negative predictive value was 65%. The most frequent microorganisms in the urine culture were Escherichia coli (26 patients, 87%), Proteus mirabilis (3 patients, 10%) and Klebsiella (1 patient, 3%) in the ASB group. We experienced four (44%) recurrences among nine positive procalcitonin in ASB patients after completion of treatment of the first ASB diagnosis.DiscussionProcalcitonin levels were significantly higher in ASB group than the control group and serum procalcitonin levels were higher in pregnant women with recurrent ASB. This finding is an important result revealed that high procalcitonin level can predict the further urinary tract infection risk. Finally, serum procalcitonin levels were normal in healthy pregnant women while other inflammatory markers such as WBC, ESR and CRP levels were higher.
Background: Primary dysmenorrhea is a common disorder among young women, and uterine ischemia plays an important role in pelvic pain. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) is accepted as a strong marker of endothelial dysfunction. Objective: To investigate the role of ADMA in primary dysmenorrhea. Methods: Thirty-three patients with primary dysmenorrhea and 29 healthy controls were evaluated in a hospital outpatient clinic-based study. Secondary causes of dysmenorrhea had been ruled out in each patient. LDL cholesterol, triglycerides measured and body mass index were also calculated. Blood samples for determination of ADMA concentration were drawn on the 3rd day of menses in each woman. Groups were compared for statistically significant difference by Mann-Whitney U test. Results: Groups did not differ in age or hormone levels. ADMA level was higher in women with dysmenorrhea compared to healthy controls (Mann-Whitney U test, Z = –2.24, p = 0.025). ADMA levels showed positive correlation with age and erythrocyte sedimentation rate in the first group (Spearman’s rho = 0.360, p = 0.040, and r = 0.379, p = 0.029, respectively). Although erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein (CRP) were positively correlated, no significant correlations were found between high-sensitivity CRP and ADMA level in the first group (Spearman’s rho = 0.048, p = 0.749). Conclusion: ADMA concentrations are elevated in primary dysmenorrhea compared to healthy controls. This suggests that endothelial dysfunction plays a role in primary dysmenorrhea.
Chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) is an important clinic problem. It is assessed that prevalence of chronic pain extends to 30% but it is contended that there are various risk factors. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of chronic pain after hysterectomy, risk factors of chronicity, neuropathic features of pain, and sensorial alterations at surgery area.Between years 2012 and 2015, 16 to 65 ages old patients that electively undergone total abdominal hysterectomy bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and passed minimum 3 months after surgery were included to study. Visual analog scale (VAS) and Douleur Neuropathique 4-questionnaire (DN-4) surveys were used to evaluate pain symptoms, algometry device was used for evaluating abdominal pressure threshold and Von Frey Filament was used for sensorial alterations.Ninety-three of 165 eligible patients were included to study. As the groups were compared by demographic data, no difference was obtained (P > 0.05). There was no difference between groups regarding patient and surgery attributes (P > 0.05). Most frequently performed incision type was Pfannenstiel. Neuropathic symptoms were observed in 90 patients (96.8%). Sensorial alterations as hypoesthesia and hyperesthesia were detected around abdominal scar in 18 patients (19.4%) with pinprick test.Neuropathic symptoms should not be ignored in studies evaluating CPSP and a standard methodology should be designed for studies in this topic.
Objective: This study aimed to determine the frequency of depression in postmenopausal women, examine some variables that are thought to be related, and evaluate the relationships between postmenopausal depression, anxiety, and fear of death. Methods: The study is a cross-sectional study conducted among postmenopausal women who applied to an Obstetrics and Gynecology Polyclinic in Sakarya, Turkey, between March and September 2018. The study group consisted of 485 postmenopausal women. For statistical analysis, the chi-square test, logistic regression analysis, Mann-Whitney U test, and Spearman correlation analysis were used. Values of P ≤ 0.05 were accepted as statistically significant. Results: The ages of the participants ranged between 35 and 78 years, and the average was 56.33 ± 7.34 years. Being a widow or separated from one's partner (odds ratio [OR]: 3.478), alcohol consumption (OR: 11.772), any history of illness that required continuous medication (OR: 3.579), presence of any physical disability (OR: 2.242), history of any mental disorder with a physician's diagnosis (OR: 4.213), and number of living children 4 or more (OR: 4.174) were found to be important risk factors for postmenopausal depression. A moderate positive correlation was found between the depression scale and the scores obtained from the anxiety scale (r = 0.467; P = 0.001). No difference was found between participants with and without depression in terms of fear of death. Conclusion: Depression among postmenopausal women is an important health problem that needs to be studied further. No relation was found between depression and fear of death. These results will be beneficial for raising awareness about depression among postmenopausal women and conducting screening for early diagnosis.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.