Obstetrics and Gynaecology - Research Publications

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    Antibody responses following incident anal and penile infection with human papillomavirus in teenage men who have sex with men
    Zou, H ; Tabrizi, SN ; Grulich, AE ; Hocking, JS ; Garland, SM ; Bradshaw, CS ; Cornall, AM ; Fairley, CK ; Chen, MY (WILEY, 2016-08-01)
    Men who have sex with men (MSM) are at risk for human papillomavirus (HPV)-related anal cancer. Few data exist on antibody responses following incident anogenital infection with HPV in teenage MSM. A cohort of 200 MSM aged 16-20 years from Melbourne, Australia were assessed at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months. At each visit anal and penile swabs were collected for HPV DNA and serum for HPV antibodies for genotypes 6, 11, 16 and 18 (Merck's Multiplex Assays using Luminex). The main outcome, seroconversion, was defined as the detection of HPV antibodies following a negative antibody result for the same HPV type at baseline. The seroincidence rates for HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18 were: 19 (95% CI 12-26), 7 (3-12), 4 (1-8) and 6 (3-11) per 100 person-years, respectively. Men who experienced incident anal HPV infections from types 6/11 were significantly more likely to develop serum antibodies to the same HPV type(s) than those who experienced incident anal infections from types 16/18 [73 vs. 18%, odds ratio (OR) = 15, 95% CI: 2-118]. The median time between incident anal HPV infection and seroconversion for HPV 6, 11, 16 and 18 was: 91, 38, 161 and 182 days, respectively. Antibody responses against HPV types 6/11 were significantly more likely to occur following incident anal compared with incident penile infection with HPV types 6/11 (OR = 6, 95% CI: 2-21). The likelihood of antibody responses following anogenital HPV infections depends on the HPV type and site of infection.
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    The Performance of Anal Cytology as a Screening Test for Anal HSILs in Homosexual Men
    Jin, F ; Grulich, AE ; Poynten, IM ; Hillman, RJ ; Templeton, DJ ; Law, CLH ; Farnsworth, A ; Garland, SM ; Fairley, CK ; Roberts, JM (WILEY, 2016-06)
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    Is There a Role for the ThinPrep Imaging System in Reporting Anal Cytology?
    Roberts, JM ; Jin, F ; Ekman, D ; Adams, MK ; McDonald, RL ; Thurloe, JK ; Richards, A ; Poynten, IM ; Law, C ; Fairley, CK ; Hillman, RJ ; Tabrizi, SN ; Cornall, AM ; Templeton, DJ ; Garland, SM ; Grulich, AE ; Farnsworth, A (WILEY, 2016-05)
    BACKGROUND: The ThinPrep Imaging System (TIS) is an accurate time-saving method of reading cervical ThinPrep slides in screening programs. As anal and cervical cytology are morphologically similar, TIS can potentially be used for anal cytology. We assessed the performance of TIS on anal ThinPrep slides from homosexual men in a natural history study of human papillomavirus-related anal abnormalities. METHODS: Four hundred nineteen anal cytology slides were processed by TIS and classified by a cytologist as either No further review (slide archived) or Manual review (slide requiring full manual screen). The results were compared with the original manual screening report for all slides and specifically for those screening episodes accompanied by a high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) on concurrent biopsy. RESULTS: One hundred seventy six of 419 (42.0%) slides were classified as No further review, with a trend of decreasing proportions as the degree of severity of the cytological abnormality increased. Thirteen (27.7%) slides with an original unsatisfactory report were classified as No further review. Eighty two (92.1%) of those with biopsy HSIL and cytological abnormality were classified for Manual review, including all 45 (100%) with cytological HSIL. CONCLUSION: The cervical algorithm of TIS performed best on anal samples when HSIL was present both cytologically and histologically. The 27.7% unsatisfactory slides classified as No further review may indicate need for use of different criteria from cervical cytology. Because of the high prevalence of abnormalities, and hence the large proportion of slides needing manual review, the cytologist time-saving would compare unfavorably with use of TIS in cervical screening.
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    Role of genital mycoplasmas in bacteremia: should we be routinely culturing for these organisms?
    Garland, SM ; Kelly, VN (Hindawi Limited, 1996)
    OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the role of the genital mycoplasmas Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum as causes of bacteremia in a tertiary referral obstetrical, gynecological, and neonatal intensive care facility, over a period of 12 years from 1983 to 1994 inclusively. METHODS: All clinically significant blood cultures were reviewed and the percentage of septicemic episodes for genital mycoplasmas was compared to the total isolation rate, including conventional bacteria. RESULTS: The overall positivity rate for all pathogenic organisms isolated from the blood cultures of infants ranged from 4.5% to 7.7% per annum. U. urealyticum represented 0.8% of these positive isolates and M. hominis 0.4%. For adults, the overall positivity rate from blood cultures ranged from 6.5% to 13.5%, with U. urealyticum representing 9.6% of these positive isolates and M. hominis 9.9%. CONCLUSIONS: With M. hominis having an established role in such clinical entities as postabortal and postpartum fever and U. urealyticum strongly implicated with chronic lung disease in low birth weight infants, it is appropriate to examine blood cultures for genital mycoplasmas in an obstetric institution.
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    Do antepartum herpes simplex virus cultures predict intrapartum shedding for pregnant women with recurrent disease?
    Garland, SM ; Lee, TN ; Sacks, S (Wiley, 1999)
    OBJECTIVE: To examine antenatal screening as a predictor of intrapartum shedding of herpes simplex virus (HSV) and to determine its usefulness in guiding the appropriate route of delivery for patients with recurrent HSV in pregnancy. METHODS: A population of 198 pregnant women with a history of recurrent genital HSV were cultured in the last weeks of their pregnancy by specially-trained personnel and intrapartum by their delivering attendants. RESULTS: Of cultures from a total of 906 antenatal visits, 17% were culture positive, with an asymptomatic shedding rate of 3.4%. Asymptomatic shedding occurred in 12.6% of women. Over the 8-week antepartum period, viral culture-positivity rates for each visit ranged from 11% to 19.5%. This provided an expected delivery culture-positivity rate of 15.3%. However, actual intrapartum viral culture positivity occurred in only three of 191 women (1.5%; P < 0.001). Because previous studies have suggested antepartum culture positivity fails to predict intrapartum viral shedding, evaluations, including cultures, as well as predictive values for subsequent culture positivities, were determined under the supervision of an infectious disease specialist. Under these conditions, positive predictive values were 59% when the interval between visits was 2 days, but only 19% when days between visits were >2 (P < 0.0001). No cases of neonatal herpes were seen in this population, although cesarean deliveries were performed in 31% of the patient population, with genital herpes as the indication for 56% of those. CONCLUSIONS: Antepartum serial screening by viral culture is not predictive of an infant's risk of intrapartum viral exposure when conducted at weekly intervals. However, more frequent assessments of patients can be predictive of an infant's exposure risk to HSV; for patients with frequent recurrent disease near term or primary infection in pregnancy, frequent late antepartum screening may be appropriate.
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    Progressive genetic aberrations detected by comparative genomic hybridization in squamous cell cervical cancer.
    Allen, DG ; White, DJ ; Hutchins, AM ; Scurry, JP ; Tabrizi, SN ; Garland, SM ; Armes, JE (Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2000-12)
    Genetic changes orchestrated by human papillomaviruses are the most important known factors in carcinogenesis of the uterine cervix. However, it is clear that additional genetic events are necessary for tumour progression. We have used comparative genomic hybridization to document non-random chromosomal gains and losses within a subset of 37 cervical carcinomas matched for clinical stage Ib, but with different lymph node status. There were significantly more chromosomal changes in the primary tumours when the lymph nodes were positive for metastases. The most frequent copy number alterations were loss of 3p, 11q, 6q and 10q and gain of 3q. The smallest areas of loss and gain on chromosome 3 were 3p14-22 and 3q24-26. The study identifies progressive DNA copy number changes associated with early-stage invasive cervical cancers with and without lymph node metastases, a factor of potential prognostic and therapeutic value.
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    Population-Level Effects of Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Programs on Infections with Nonvaccine Genotypes
    Mesher, D ; Soldan, K ; Lehtinen, M ; Beddows, S ; Brisson, M ; Brotherton, JML ; Chow, EPF ; Cummings, T ; Drolet, M ; Fairley, CK ; Garland, SM ; Kahn, JA ; Kavanagh, K ; Markowitz, L ; Pollock, KG ; Soderlund-Strand, A ; Sonnenberg, P ; Tabrizi, SN ; Tanton, C ; Unger, E ; Thomas, SL (CENTERS DISEASE CONTROL & PREVENTION, 2016-10)
    We analyzed human papillomavirus (HPV) prevalences during prevaccination and postvaccination periods to consider possible changes in nonvaccine HPV genotypes after introduction of vaccines that confer protection against 2 high-risk types, HPV16 and HPV18. Our meta-analysis included 9 studies with data for 13,886 girls and women ≤19 years of age and 23,340 women 20-24 years of age. We found evidence of cross-protection for HPV31 among the younger age group after vaccine introduction but little evidence for reductions of HPV33 and HPV45. For the group this same age group, we also found slight increases in 2 nonvaccine high-risk HPV types (HPV39 and HPV52) and in 2 possible high-risk types (HPV53 and HPV73). However, results between age groups and vaccines used were inconsistent, and the increases had possible alternative explanations; consequently, these data provided no clear evidence for type replacement. Continued monitoring of these HPV genotypes is important.
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    Patients' preferences for involvement in treatment decision making in Japan.
    Sekimoto, M ; Asai, A ; Ohnishi, M ; Nishigaki, E ; Fukui, T ; Shimbo, T ; Imanaka, Y (Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2004-03-01)
    BACKGROUND: A number of previous studies have suggested that the Japanese have few opportunities to participate in medical decision-making, as a result both of entrenched physician paternalism and national characteristics of dependency and passivity. The hypothesis that Japanese patients would wish to participate in treatment decision-making if adequate information were provided, and the decision to be made was clearly identified, was tested by interview survey. METHODS: The subjects were diabetic patients at a single outpatient clinic in Kyoto. One of three case study vignettes (pneumonia, gangrene or cancer) was randomly assigned to each subject and, employing face-to-face interviews, the subjects were asked what their wishes would be as patients, for treatment information, participation in decision-making and family involvement. RESULTS: 134 patients participated in the study, representing a response rate of 90%. The overall proportions of respondents who preferred active, collaborative, and passive roles were 12%, 71%, and 17%, respectively. Respondents to the cancer vignette were less likely to prefer an active role and were more likely to prefer family involvement in decision-making compared to non-cancer vignette respondents. If a physician's recommendation conflicted with their own wishes, 60% of the respondents for each vignette answered that they would choose to respect the physician's opinion, while few respondents would give the family's preference primary importance. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggested that a majority of Japanese patients have positive attitudes towards participation in medical decision making if they are fully informed. Physicians will give greater patient satisfaction if they respond to the desire of patients for participation in decision-making.
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    Is antenatal group B streptococcal carriage a predictor of adverse obstetric outcome?
    Garland, SM ; Kelly, N ; Ugoni, AM (Hindawi Limited, 2000)
    OBJECTIVES: While early-onset neonatal GBS sepsis is positively associated with premature birth and prolonged rupture of membranes, there is debate in the literature as to whether maternal GBS colonization is a predictor of adverse obstetric outcome. This is a critical issue to resolve for appropriate management (expectant vs. interventional management) of the patient presenting with premature rupture of membranes, who has no overt signs of sepsis, but who is colonized with GBS. METHODS: Since 1981 it has been hospital policy to screen all public patients antenatally for genital carriage of GBS by collection of a low vaginal swab at 28-32 weeks. All patients colonized with GBS antenatally are given penicillin as intrapartum chemoprophylaxis. Review of all GBS-colonized antenatal patients for a 12-month period (580 of 4,495 patients) and a randomized (every fourth consecutive antenatal patient) number of noncolonized patients (958) was made. Lower vaginal GBS colonization and other risk factors for preterm delivery were assessed using univariate and multivariate generalized linear modeling. RESULTS: In the study group, the maternal GBS colonization rate was 12.9%. When cofounding variables were controlled in a multivariate analysis, the association between antepartum GBS colonization and preterm labor and preterm rupture of membranes was not significant. CONCLUSION: Maternal antenatal carriage of GBS does not predict preterm labor. Therefore it is appropriate that expectant management occur for a GBS-colonized woman who ruptures her membranes, is not in labor, and has no evidence of sepsis.
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    Asia Oceania Guidelines for the Implementation of Programs for Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control
    Ngan, HYS ; Garland, SM ; Bhatla, N ; Pagliusi, SR ; Chan, KKL ; Cheung, ANY ; Chu, T-Y ; Domingo, EJ ; Qiao, YL ; Park, JS ; Tay, EH ; Supakarapongkul, W (HINDAWI LTD, 2011)
    This paper aims to provide evidence-based recommendations for health professionals, to develop a comprehensive cervical cancer program for a clinic, a community, or a country. Ensuring access to healthcare is the responsibility of all societies, and the Asia Oceania Research Organisation in Genital Infections and Neoplasia (AOGIN) is committed to working collaboratively with governments and health professionals to facilitate prevention programs, to protect girls and women from cervical cancer, a disease that globally affects 500,000 and kills nearly 300,000 women annually, just over half of whom are in the Asia Oceania region. We share the vision that a comprehensive program of vaccination, screening, and treatment should be made accessible to all girls and women in the world. The primary purpose of these guidelines is to provide information on scientific evidence on the different modalities and approaches of cervical cancer prevention programs, for high resource and low resource settings. The secondary purpose is to provide an overview of the current situation of cervical cancer control and prevention in various Asian Oceania countries: their views of an ideal program, identified obstacles, and suggestions to overcome them are discussed.