Gladys H. Reynolds

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease and Fertility: A Cohort Study of 1,844 Women with Laparoscopically Verified Disease and 657 Control Women with Normal Laparoscopic Results

From 1960 10 1984, 2,501 women underwent diagnostic laparoscopy (index laparoscopy) because of a clinical suspicion of acute pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Of these women, 1,844 had abnormal laparoscopic findings (patients) and 657 had normal findings (control subjects). The reproductive events after index laparoscopy of 1,732 patients and 601 control subjects were followed. The patients and control subjects were followed for a total of 13,400 and 3,958 woman-years, respectively. During the follow-up period, 1,309 (75.6%) of the patients and 451 (75.0%) of the control subjects attempted to conceive. Of these women, 209 (16.0%) of the patients and 12 (2.7%) of the control subjects failed to conceive. A total of 141 (10.8%) of the patients and 0 (0%) of the control subjects had confirmed tubal factor infertility, 21 (1.6%) of the patients and 3 (0.7%) control subjects had other causes of infertility, and 47 (3.6%) patients and 9 (2.0%) control subjects did not have a complete infertility evaluation. Additional information on tubal morphology (hysterosalpingography, laparoscopy, or laparotomy) in women from couples for whom evaluation was incomplete indicated that 165 (12.2%) patients and 4 (0.9%) of the control subjects had abnormal tubal function or morphology after index laparoscopy. Tubal factor infertility after PID was associated with number and severity of PID episodes. The ectopic pregnancy rate for first pregnancy after index laparoscopy was 9.1% among the patients and 1.4% among control subjects.

The Prevention of Hepatitis B with Vaccine: Report of the Centers for Disease Control Multi-Center Efficacy Trial Among Homosexual Men

A randomized, double-blind, vaccine/placebo trial of the Merck 20-micrograms hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine was done among 1402 homosexual men attending venereal disease clinics in five American cities. Vaccination was followed by only minimal side effects. Two doses of vaccine induced antibody in 80% of vaccine recipients. A booster dose 6 months after the first dose induced antibody in 85% of recipients and markedly increased the proportion of recipients who produced high antibody titers. The incidence of HBV events was markedly less in the vaccine recipients compared to that in the placebo recipients (p = 0.0004). Between month 3 and 15 after the first dose, 56 more significant HBV events (hepatitis, or hepatitis B surface antigen positive, or both) occurred in the placebo group while only 11 occurred in the vaccine group. Ten of the 11 HBV events in the vaccine recipients occurred in hypo- or nonresponders to the vaccine. This vaccine appears to be safe, immunogenic, and efficacious in preventing infection with hepatitis B virus.

National gonorrhea therapy monitoring study: in vitro antibiotic susceptibility and its correlation with treatment results.

To monitor temporal trends and regional differences in antibiotic susceptibility, we measured the minimum inhibitory concentrations for penicillin G, ampicillin, tetracycline, and spectinomycin of 4405 pre-treatment gonococcal isolates from patients with uncomplicated gonorrhea. As compared to isolates studied in 1970-1971, recent United States isolates appeared equally sensitive to penicillin G and more sensitive to tetracycline. Relatively resistant strains were found throughout the country. We also studied 1974 patients, treated for uncomplicated gonorrhea according to the 1972 regimens recommended by the United States Public Health Service, to determine the relation between pretreatment minimum inhibitory concentrations and treatment results. For patients receiving the procaine penicillin-probenecid and ampicillin-probenecid regimens, minimum inhibitory concentrations to the treatment drugs were significantly higher in patients not cured than in those cured (P less than 0.01 fr penicillin and P less than 0.05 for ampicillin). In contrast, spectinomycin-treatment results appeared to be independent of the isolates susceptibility to spectinomycin and other antibiotics.

Predicting acute pelvic inflammatory disease: A multivariate analysis☆

Abstract A multivariate logistic regression analysis of patient symptoms and signs and laboratory findings associated with the diagnosis of acute pelvic inflammatory disease was performed with use of data from 628 women who were clinically diagnosed as having the disease for the first time at the University of Lund, Sweden. In 414 women (65.9%) acute pelvic inflammatory disease was laparoscopically confirmed. We developed a mathematical model that correctly predicted 87.0% of the cases of acute pelvic inflammatory disease and had an overall correct classification rate of 75.6%. Variables that were good predictors of acute pelvic inflammatory disease were purulent vaginal discharge, erythrocyte sedimentation rate ≥15 mm/hr, positive gonorrhea result, adnexal swelling on bimanual examination, and rectal temperature ≥38°C. Furthermore, we developed “mixed model I” and “mixed model II,” which combine simple clinical parameters and laparoscopy in varying degrees. In mixed model I the sensitivity, specificity, and overall classification values were 93.%, 67.2%, and 84.5%; in mixed model II these values were 100%, 67.2%, and 89.2%. Use of relatively simple and reproducible clinical parameters can identify those women who would most benefit from laparoscopy to diagnose acute pelvic inflammatory disease.

A trial of minocycline given after exposure to prevent gonorrhea.

In a prospective evaluation of antibiotic prophylaxis against gonorrhea, 1080 men were given 200 mg of oral minocycline or placebo after sexual intercourse with prostitutes in a Far Eastern port. Later, at sea, gonococcal infection was detected in 57 of 565 men given placebo and 24 of 515 men given minocycline (P less than 0.001). Minocycline prophylaxis completely prevented infection by gonococci susceptible to 0.75 microgram or less of tetracycline per milliliter, reduced the risk of infection or prolonged the incubation period in men exposed to gonococci susceptible to 1.0 to 2.0 micrograms per milliliter, but did not prevent infection or prolong incubation in men exposed to gonococci resistant to 2.0 micrograms. Minocycline did not increase the proportion of asymptomatic infections. Minocycline prophylaxis would probably have limited effectiveness as a public-health measure because of the tendency to select resistant gonococci.

Pharmacokinetic Determinants of Penicillin Cure of Gonococcal Urethritis

In a 1964 study of the pharmacokinetic determinants of penicillin cure of gonococcal urethritis, 45 male prisoner volunteers were experimentally infected with strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae having known in vitro penicillin susceptibility. After developing urethritis, subjects received intramuscular penicillin G and had serum samples obtained serially to determine penicillin concentration. Using a multiple regression technique, we studied patient-associated parameters and parameters of the serum penicillin curves to determine the best predictors of treatment results. Cure was best predicted by the time the serum penicillin concentration remained above three to four times the penicillin minimum inhibitory concentration of the infecting strain (probability of correct classification, >0.80). Those cured had serum penicillin concentrations which remained in this range for means of 7 to 10 h. Our findings confirm principles of antimicrobial therapy derived from animal models and may have application in studying therapy of gonorrhea and other infectious diseases.

Syphilis in the United States: 1967-1979.

Reported data on cases of primary and secondary syphilis in the United States during 1967-1979 were analyzed by age, race, sex, and reporting source. Although the incidence of primary and secondary syphilis fluctuated little in the United States between 1967 and 1979, the ratio of male to female cases increased twofold, from 1.5:1 to 3:1. Cases in men, primarily those aged 25-39 years, reported by public clinics increased from 32% to 56% of the total cases reported; in particular, cases among white males reported by public clinics increased by 351%. The percentage of white men with early syphilis who attended public clinics and who reported at least one male sex partner increased from 38% in 1969 to 70% in 1979. These findings suggest that an essential change occurred in the epidemiology of early syphilis in the United States: white gay men became proportionately more burdened by the disease, and increasing transmission of the disease occurred within this segment of the population in the United States.

Sexual Behavior, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and Risk of Cervical Cancer

To explore sexually transmitted diseases and sexual behavior as risk factors for cervical cancer, we analyzed data from a population-based case-control study of breast and cervical cancer in Costa Rica. Data from 415 cases of cervical carcinoma in situ, 149 cases of invasive cervical cancer, and 764 controls were included in the analysis. Multivariate analysis showed that lifetime number of sex partners, first intercourse before age 15 years, number of livebirths, herpes simplex virus type 2 sero-positivity, and serologic evidence of previous chlamydial infection were predictors of carcinoma in situ. Serologic evidence of previous syphilis was not associated with carcinoma in situ. Predictors for invasive cervical cancer included lifetime number of sex partners, first intercourse before age 15 years, number of livebirths, serologic evidence of previous syphilis, herpes simplex type 2 infection, and chlamydial infection. Cigarette smoking, socioeconomic status, self-reported history of sexually transmitted diseases, and douching were not associated with either carcinoma in situ or invasive cervical cancer.

National gonorrhea therapy monitoring study. Treatment results.

To monitor the efficacy of the 1972 United States Public Health Service recommended treatment regimens for uncomplicated gonorrhea, we studied 9008 patients who were randomly assigned either to aqueous procaine penicillin G, 4.8 million units intramuscularly plus 1 g of oral probenecid, or to one of the three other recommended regimens. Among the 3871 patients re-examined within three to seven days after therapy, the penicillin-probenecid regimen was successful in 96.8 per cent, whereas the cure rates of the ampicillin-probenecid, tetracycline, and spectinomycin regimens were 92.8, 96.2, and 94.8 per cent, respectively. In clinics comparing the regimens, penicillin G-probenecid was as effective as tetracycline, but more effective than ampicillin-probenecid (P less than 0.05) and spectinomycin (P less than 0.01). However, in patients re-examined three to 14 days after treatment, only the ampicillin-probenecid regimen was significantly less effective than penicillin probenecid (P less than 0.01). Despite these differences in results, all four regimens recommended by the Public Health Service provided effective therapy for uncomplicated gonorrhea.

Perceived Versus Actual Risk for Hypertension and Diabetes in the African American Community

Hypertension and diabetes mellitus are leading health concerns in the United States. Despite a disproportionate burden of both conditions among African Americans, it is estimated that 44% of diabetes cases and one quarter of hypertension cases within this population are undiagnosed. Lack of awareness of the risk of these conditions may hinder preventive efforts and the adoption of positive lifestyle changes. Based on the findings from a pilot study to develop and standardize uniform screening forms for hypertension and diabetes, this article reports on the perceived risk versus actual risk of developing these conditions among primarily African American participants using a community-based screening tool. Each form assessed both perceived and actual risk of diabetes and hypertension, respectively. A total of 265 hypertension and 225 diabetes screening forms were randomly selected from eight sites across the country. The risk perception of the overall study sample was similar to its actual risk for developing either condition. However, a significant proportion of individuals who scored at high risk for diabetes or hypertension were unaware of their risk for these conditions. These results suggest the need for developing culturally relevant interventions, public health education, and policies that address the risk misperceptions among this group.