Introduction. Preventing recurrent bacterial vaginosis (BV) during pregnancy is an important issue in current obstetrics.Aim: to assess the effect of recombinant human interferon alpha-2b on the incidence of recurrent BV during pregnancy and on the bacterial, cytokine, and antimicrobial components of the nonspecific vaginal immunity.Materials and methods. The study included 80 pregnant women with recurrent BV, 40 of whom (the main group) were treated with recombinant human interferon alpha-2b in the first half of pregnancy and after 30 weeks of pregnancy in addition to standard therapy (metronidazole or clindamycin). The other 40 women (control group) did not receive this interferon drug. Patients of the both groups were examined for the rate of BV recurrence and also tested for their vaginal bacteria and levels of β-defensin-2 (HBD-2), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and interferon-γ (INF-γ) in the third trimester of pregnancy.Results. Treatment with recombinant human interferon alfa-2b led to a 3-fold reduction in the occurrence of repeated episodes of BV and an increase in the content of lactobacilli (7.24 ± 0.33 and 7.03 ± 0.40 in patients with interferon therapy and without it, respectively; p = 0.013) mainly due to Lactobacillus crispatus (7.14 ± 0.69 in women who received interferon alfa-2b, compared with 6.36 ± 0.95 in patients on standard therapy; p = 0.003) and a decrease in the number of some types of anaerobes. Also, the use of interferon alpha-2b in pregnant women with recurrent BV led to an increase in the content of IL-1β by 2.5 times, IL-6 by 3.5 times, IL-10 by 1.5 times, INF-γ by 2 times, and HBD-2 by 4 times.Conclusion. Treatment of recurrent BV during pregnancy with recombinant human interferon alfa-2b, aimed at boosting the nonspecific vaginal immunity helps reduce the incidence of recurrent BV.

No abstract

No abstract

Objective: studying of the effect of combined antioxidant and photodynamic therapy (PDT) on the emotional state of patients with vulvar kraurosis. Materials and methods: the study involved 90 women with vulvar kraurosis who were randomized into three groups of 30 participants. In the first group, treatment included photodynamic therapy (PDT) followed by administration of the antioxidant Ethylmethylhydroxypyridine succinate for one month. Participants in the second group received only PDT. Patients of the third group underwent a course of laser therapy on the perineal region. The emotional state of the participants was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) before and at the end of treatment, 1, 6 and 12 months after the end of therapy. Results: before treatment, participants from the three groups scored a similar number of HADS scores. In the course of observations, the best result on the scales of anxiety and depression was recorded in patients who received combined antioxidant and photodynamic therapy. After a month of taking Ethylmethylhydroxypyridine succinate, the HADS score in these women was significantly lower than in the comparison groups. Further, these patients continued to show better scores on the depression scale. The total scores on the anxiety scale in this group were comparable to those in patients who received only PDT. Conclusion: combined antioxidant and photodynamic therapy, including Ethylmethylhydroxypyridine succinate, has a more pronounced positive effect on the emotional background of patients with vulvar kraurosis in comparison with PDT and laser therapy.

No abstract