Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Cervical Mucus Method”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

767 records · Page 43Linked to original sources
PubMed1980

Micropipette measurement of airway submucosal gland secretion. Autonomic effects.

We describe a micropipette method for obtaining secretions from single submucosal gland ducts in vivo in cat tracheas. The secretory rate of 65 glands sampled under basal conditions in 16 animals varied from 3 to 30 nl/min (mean +/- SE, 9.05 +/- 0.60 nl/min) and varied 2 to 3-fold among glands sampled within an animal. Sequential samples collected from individual ducts during a 10-min period were highly repeatable (correlation coefficient, 0.96) and were remarkably constant for as long as 4 h. Vagal cooling decreased the secretory rate by a mean of 39% (n = 11, p less than 0.05). Stimulation of the cervical vagus nerves increased flow from 8.3 +/- 0.7 to 16.4 +/- 0.8 nl/min (n = 15, p less than 0.01), an effect that was abolished by intravenous injection of 0.5 mg of atropine sulfate/kg of body weight or by cooling of the vagus nerves, but not by 0.08 mg of phentolamine/kg given intravenously. Intravenous injection of 0.3 mg of phenylephrine/kg of body weight increased flow from 8.6 +/- 0.6 to 18.9 +/- 1.1 nl/min (n = 20, p less than 0.001), an effect that was prevented by phentolamine, but not by atropine. We conclude that cholinergic and alpha-adrenergic stimulation increases fluid secretion from feline submucosal glands.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Shedding of HIV-1 subtype E in semen and cervico-vaginal fluid.

The uneven expansion of HIV-1 subtypes in each transmitted group raises the possibility that some viruses have less/more potential by qualitative/quantitative for heterosexual transmission compared to others. In Thailand, HIV-1 subtype E is mainly spread via heterosexual route and accounts for about 95 per cent of the infected cases. To determine whether high sexual infectivity of HIV-1 subtype E is due to the presence of a virus in genital fluid, we conducted a study to characterize shedding of HIV-1 in seminal and cervico-vaginal fluids of 30 HIV-1 subtype E infected Thai couples by PCR and virus isolation methods. All subjects had no HIV-associated diseases and other sexually transmitted diseases. HIV-1 subtype E DNA was detected in 22/30 (77.33%) of cervico-vaginal and also 22/30 (77.33%) of seminal fluid samples. The isolation rate of HIV-1 from semen and cervico-vaginal secretion was 36.67 per cent and 16.67 per cent, respectively. Number of HIV-1 subtype E DNA copies in the blood is reversely correlated with the number of blood CD4+ T cells, while that in genital fluid was not related to CD4+ T cell count. An increase in shedding of HIV- DNA subtype E in female genital tract compared to other HIV subtypes reported by other investigators might be one reason to explain the rapid spread of subtype E by heterosexual transmission in Thailand.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Secretory IgA against herpes simplex virus in cervical secretions.

A recently developed method to recover proteins from cervical secretions was combined with methods to detect minute concentrations of herpes simplex virus (HSV) type specific antibodies to measure the concentrations of locally produced antibodies in women with genital infections. Forty nine women attending a sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic were included. Cervical secretions were obtained by suction into a plastic catheter. Soluble proteins were recovered from the secretions by elution with hyperosmolar sodium chloride. A rabbit antibody to human secretory component, which was conjugated to horseradish peroxidase, was used to measure secretory IgA (S-IgA) that was HSV type specific. For comparison, HSV type specific IgG was measured in serum samples from the patients. Of the 49 women, 16 yielded detectable HSV type 2 (HSV 2) S-IgA in secretions. Twelve of them also reacted to the HSV type common antigen, but only five had HSV 2 IgG detectable in their serum. S-IgA against HSV was found in significantly more women with a clinical diagnosis of acute cervicitis than in others. This could be explained by a general increase in local antibody production and immunity triggered by previous contacts with HSV. It is concluded that local mucosal immunity to HSV 2 can be detected in women who do not have a specific humoral antibody response to the virus. For seroepidemiological studies of infection with HSV 2 this local immunity may be considered to be a factor that gives an underestimation of the true incidence of HSV 2 infection.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1997

Order of endocervical and ectocervical cytologic sampling and the quality of the Papanicolaou smear.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the order of cell collection, endocervical or ectocervical cells first, has an effect on the quality of the Papanicolaou smear. METHODS: One thousand smears were obtained using an Ayre spatula and an endocervical brush. In 500 cases the endocervical brush was used first, and in 500 cases the spatula was used first. All Papanicolaou smears were collected by resident physicians in our university hospital gynecologic clinics. A smear was considered limited for interpretation for the following reasons: 1) lack of endocervical component, 2) obscured by blood, 3) obscured by inflammation, 4) drying artifact, and 5) too thick. RESULTS: The brush-first group had 405 (81%) adequate smears compared with 410 (82%) adequate smears in the spatula-first group. More smears were obscured by blood when the brush was used first (22 or 4.4% compared with three or 0.6%, P < .001). No endocervical component (ie, metaplastic cells, endocervical cells, or mucus) was found in 29 (5.8%) smears from the brush-first group compared with 45 (9.0%) of the spatula-first group, an insignificant difference. More squamous intraepithelial lesions were found when the spatula was used first (55 or 11% compared with 35 or 7.0%, P < .05). CONCLUSION: The quality of the Papanicolaou smear can be improved by using the Ayre spatula first followed by the endocervical brush. Fewer smears will be obscured by blood, which could result in more squamous intraepithelial lesions being detected.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Analysis of pre-ovulatory changes in cervical mucus hydration and sperm penetrability.

Changes in cervical mucus occur during the proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle and are known to correlate with receptivity to sperm and to the endocrine milieu. Prior studies, however, have often lacked biological incisiveness and technical objectivity and precision. This study analyzed daily changes in mucus water content (hydration) prior to the LH surge (LH+0) in normal women, in relation to daily levels of serum LH, FSH, estradiol and progesterone, and to daily tests of sperm penetration of the mucus. Cervical mucus was studied for 12 cycles in 10 ovulating women. Three to ten mucus specimens were collected per cycle, over the days LH-8 to LH+0. Each specimen was subjected to measurement of both water content (hydration) and penetration by spermatozoa from fresh specimens of normal human semen. For the latter, a new microscale assay was developed and applied, which was amenable to very small volumes of mucus. The new technique determines objective measures of both the numbers of penetrating sperm (motile and non-motile) and the distance penetrated by the forward most vanguard sperm. In these experiments, variations in semen quality were controlled by performing a companion penetration assay in an artificial 1.5% polyacrylamide gel. The patterns of change in mucus hydration varied quantitatively among women, with preovulatory baseline levels ranging from 93.8-96.5%. All normal cycles (as defined by endocrine profiles) displayed a significant increase in hydration over a one-day period occurring 3-4 days before the LH peak. The magnitude of this shift varied among women between 2 and 3% (absolute hydration), a distinction well within the precision of the hydration assay. This quantum increase in hydration was more pronounced than the corresponding increase in serum estradiol on the same day. The change in mucus hydration, and the associated increase in sperm penetrability, were more consistent among cycles than the changes in reproductive hormones. There was a strong but non-linear correlation between mucus hydration and sperm penetrability. Once the value of hydration rose above approximately 97.5%, there was a substantial increase in penetrability. This 'cut-off point' in sperm penetrability was in the middle of the range of hydration values (across women) which preceded the quantum jump in hydration-which, itself, preceded the surge of LH. Hydration began to increase approximately 2 days before measurable increases in sperm penetration of the mucus in vitro. These results demonstrate that mucus hydration may be a valuable marker of the approach to ovulation and delineation of the fertile period. They also provide new methods for assessing sperm penetration into both large peri-ovulatory and very small samples of collected mucus.

Body Water↗
PubMed1980

Endocervical-type epithelium in endometrial carcinoma: a report of 10 cases with emphasis on histochemical methods for differential diagnosis.

A review of the histologic material from 100 patients with endometrial carcinoma revealed 10 cases in which endocervical-type epithelium constituted an integral component of endometrial adenocarcinoma. In nine of these, the endocervical epithelium was focal while in one patient, reported in detail, the curetted endometrial carcinoma presented as an almost pure endocervical-type lesion. In most instances, the endocervical epithelium was papillary and mature, but areas of tufting, pseudostratification and atypism were also evident. Endocervical-type epithelium in endometrial cancers was more common in curettings than in hysterectomy specimens probably because of its superficial location within the tumor. The endocervical nature of these components, which are most likely of metaplastic origin, was evident on light and electron microscopy. Histochemical stains established the similarities of the cytoplasmic mucins of these cells to that of normal endocervix and well-differentiated endocervical adenocarcinoma and emphasized the dissimilarities to the mucin content of papillary, secretory and clear-cell endometrial carcinoma. Thus, awareness of this type of lesion, application of strict histologic criteria and use of histochemical stains make it possible to reach the correct diagnosis in most cases, even in those in which the endocervical-type epithelium composes the major portion of curettings from an endometrial adenocarcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2005

Preliminary study concerning the cytoscreen system importance (liquid based cytology) in gynecologic cytology.

Our study aims to present the principal and the advantage of using the Liquid Based Cytology method by Cytoscreen system, as an alternative to the conventional Babes-Papanicolaou test, by reducing the false negative results frequency due to the poor quality of the smears and the epithelial cell screening by the blood elements, mucus or inflammatory exudates. A set of 1 054 female patients was available to be investigated during 2002-2004 both in the Clinical Gynaecology of The Clinical Hospital Filantropia and the Clinic of Oncology of the Clinical County Emergency Hospital of Craiova; the patients were from the rural and urban places as well; they underwent cytologic screening by Cytoscreen method. We simultaneously performed the cytologic exam by using both the Cytoscreen and the conventional Papanicolaou methods in 220 patients; the rest of them, namely 834 patients, were examined just by Cytoscreen method. The samples were processed in the Laboratory of Pathology and Cytology of the Clinical County Emergency Hospital of Craiova. The smears were fixed in the absolute ethanol for minimum five minutes than was performed the Papanicolaou stain. The diagnosis was according to Bethesda System 2001. Most of the patients (85.87%) were 21-50 aged. For the group of those tested by Cytoscreen, the rate of the "satisfactory smears" was significant increase (82.27% compared to 65.45% of the patients examined by using only the conventional method). The positive results were 5.44% compared to 2.27%. More accurate diagnosis of high degrees squamous intraepithelial lesions (1.36% compared to one case --0.45%), of low degree lesions (4 cases--1.81% compared to 2 cases--0.91%) and the atypical squamous cells with undetermined significance (1.36%Cytoscreen tested compared with 0.91%). Cytologic diagnosis was enforced by biopsy with histopathologic exam for 4 of 10 cases; the rest of the patients did not present for biopsy to be performed. In one case, HSIL diagnosis was false negative as the biopsy result was well-differentiated invasive squamous carcinoma. Both the diagnosis sensitivity and the smears feasibility were significantly improved by using Cytoscreen method.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Human chorionic gonadotropin assay in cervical secretions for accurate diagnosis of preterm labor.

OBJECTIVES: We planned to determine whether the concentration of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in cervical secretions could be a useful marker for accurate diagnosis of preterm labor, and whether the use of cervical hCG assay in combination with the Bishop score would improve the prediction of delivery within 7 days, and to determine the cut-off values for hCG in prediction of delivery within 100 h, 7 and 14 days, as well as before 35 and 37 weeks of gestation in a group of women at high risk for preterm delivery. METHODS: The study was conducted in the perinatology department of Zeynep Kamil Women and Children Diseases Education and Research Hospital between February 2002 and February 2003. One hundred and two subjects with a diagnosis of threatened preterm labor with intact membranes were included in the study. For hCG measurements, a cotton swab was rolled intracervically for 10 s to absorb fluid. Bishop scores were assessed. The correlation test was employed for the variables influencing hCG values. The ROC curve analysis was used to establish an optimal cut-off concentration for cervical hCG and an optimal cut-off level for Bishop score. The continuous variables were analyzed by the unpaired, independent, two-tailed t-test and categorical data were analyzed by the chi-square test. RESULTS: A significant positive correlation was present between the cervical hCG concentrations and Bishop scores (r=0.72, P<0.0001), and a highly negative correlation between the cervical hCG concentrations and the time interval from sampling time until delivery (r=-0.80, P<0.0001) was detected. The cut-off value for cervical hCG concentration and its sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, accuracy, relative risk and likelihood ratio for accurate determination of delivery within 100 h were > or =32 mIU/ml, 98%, 55%, 70%, 96%, 77%, 19.68 and 2.18, respectively. However, these values were > or =32 mIU/ml, 97%, 84%, 89%, 95%, 92%, 17.37 and 6.06, respectively, for prediction of delivery within 7 days; > or =30 mIU/ml, 97%, 79%, 87%, 94%, 89%, 15.15 and 4.62, respectively, for prediction of delivery within 14 days; > or =33 mIU/ml, 89%, 92%, 94%, 83%, 90%, 5.83 and, 11.55, respectively, for prediction of delivery before 35 weeks; and finally > or =27 mIU/ml, 76%, 50%, 85%, 37%, 71%, 1.34 and 1.52, respectively, for prediction of delivery before 37 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Cervical hCG expression seems to be rewarding in accurate diagnosis of preterm labor. This test has the advantage of low cost and wide availability.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

[Diagnostic value of increased lactate dehydrogenase activity in vaginal secretions for the early detection of diseases requiring treatment of the female genitals and breast].

The Diagnostic Validity of Enhanced Lactate Dehydrogenase Activity in the Vaginal Secretion for Early Diagnosis of Diseases of the Female Genitals and the Mamma in Need of Treatment. An impregnated hygiene tampon (Gynaegnost) was used, which by a colour reaction permits the determination of augmented activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in vaginal secretion. The diagnostic validity of the results of the findings by this method in the detection of diseases of the female genitals and the mamma needing treatment was examined in two clinical diagnostic studies. The first study including 486 patients chiefly suffering from manifest carcinoma was aimed at solving a deliberately limited question. In patients with carcinoma stages I to IV of the most important genital locations augmented LDH-activity (correct positive results) was found in about 90%. A second study comprised 1955 women entering into outpatient gynaecological services for preventive examination; the definition of this series was difficult. Three categories of diagnostic groups can be determined by the results of this study. In the first category with the most important subgroup "routine examination without specification of a pathological finding" less than 20% "false" positive test results by the indicator were observed. A second category with inflammatory diseases (colpitis, endometritis) showed positive results in about one-third of the examinations. The third category comprised a minor number of malignant tumors roughly with a percentage of positive results corresponding to that of the first study. Augmented LDH activity in vaginal secretion is a diagnostic criterion which detects not only cancer; it is similar to the test of occult blood in faeces.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed2006

Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cervicovaginal shedding of human immunodeficiency virus.

OBJECTIVE: Although human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is a well-known risk factor for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), the influence of CIN on cervicovaginal shedding of HIV is poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between CIN and the shedding of HIV in cervicovaginal secretions. METHODS: Two hundred sixteen HIV-seropositive patients were followed up by Pap test, colposcopy, and targeted cervical biopsies for a median of 16 months (range 0-94). A diagnosis of low-grade CIN was made on the basis of Pap test and either colposcopy or cervical biopsy. High-grade CIN was diagnosed solely on the basis of cervical biopsy. At each follow-up visit, we measured HIV-1 RNA in plasma, proviral HIV-1 DNA, and cell-associated and cell-free HIV-1 RNA in cervicovaginal secretion by competitive polymerase chain reaction (cRT-PCR) and reverse transcriptase PCR. The univariable and multivariable associations between the occurrence of CIN and the presence of HIV-related nucleic acids in cervicovaginal secretions were evaluated with logistic generalized estimating equations. RESULTS: Overall, at enrollment and during the follow-up period, a diagnosis of either low-grade or high-grade CIN was made in 14.4% (99/689) and 6.7% (46/689) of the visits, respectively. The presence of measurable levels of plasma HIV-1 RNA was a significant risk factor for the detection of cervicovaginal HIV-1 DNA (odds ratio [OR] 1.86, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.32-2.61, P < .001), cell-associated (OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.18-2.43, P = .004), and cell-free HIV-1 RNA (OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.28-2.63, P = .001). After the adjustment for the effect of plasma HIV-1 RNA, CD4(+) positive cell counts less than 200 mm(3), and bacterial vaginosis, the detection of cell-associated (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.23-2.49, P = .006) and cell-free HIV-1 RNA (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.39-2.87, P = .001) in cervicovaginal secretions was significantly associated with the diagnosis of CIN. CONCLUSION: The presence of CIN lesions is a significant risk factor for genital HIV shedding. Given the high prevalence of cervical disease among HIV-positive women, this finding could have important epidemiological implications in both heterosexual and perinatal transmission of HIV. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II-2.

Cervix Mucus↗
PubMed1999

Cytokine and immunoglobulin concentrations in cervical secretions: reproducibility of the Weck-cel collection instrument and correlates of immune measures.

Elucidation of local immune response at the cervix is important for understanding and evaluating STD vaccine approaches currently being proposed. However, no well-validated method exists for the collection of cervical secretions for evaluation of cervical immune response. The purpose of this study was to determine the reproducibility of the Weck-cel sponge used to collect cervical secretions for immunological assessment. Additionally, it was possible to examine correlates of immunity as part of our investigation. Two cervical secretion specimens were collected sequentially from each of 120 women using Weck-cel sponges. Cervical secretions were collected prior to Pap smear sampling to avoid blood contamination. At the laboratory, the duplicate specimens were weighed and tested in replicate wells to determine the concentration of two cytokines (IL-10 and IL-12) and two immunoglobulin isotypes (IgG and IgA). IL-12, total IgG, and total IgA showed a strong correlation between samples from the same woman ranging from 0.78 to 0.84. Kappa coefficients obtained after categorizing assay results ranged from 0.62 to 0.67. Variance components analysis suggested that 69% to 85% of the variance observed was accounted for by between-women variance, with the remaining variability attributed to variation between samples collected from the same woman. IL-10 results were less reproducible than those obtained from the other assays examined, suggesting problems with the assay used to measure this cytokine rather than with the Weck-cel sampling instrument. Various factors were found to significantly correlate with cytokine and immunoglobulin measures at the cervix. Age and reproductive status were associated with all four immune measures; women over 50 years of age and those who were postmenopausal had increased concentrations of IL-10, IL-12, IgG, and IgA. Hemoglobin concentrations were positively correlated with IgG and IL-10 concentrations, but not with IgA or IL-12 concentrations, suggesting local production of IgA and IL-12. The concentration of all immune measures decreased with increasing volume of collection. No significant association was observed between time from collection to freezing of specimens and concentrations of cytokines or immunoglobulins. Overall, our data suggest that measurement of immunological parameters in cervical secretions collected using Weck-cel sponges are reproducible. In addition, various correlates of cytokine and immunoglobulin concentrations were identified.

Adult↗