Sexual Experience of Women after Gynecological Hysterectomy in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Yalgado Ouedraogo Teaching Hospital, Burkina Faso

Objective: To study the sexual experience of women after gynecological hysterectomy in the obstetrics and gynecology department of Yalgado Ouedraogo University Teaching Hospital in Burkina Faso. Patient and Method: We conducted a cross-sectional study from October 1, 2016 to March 30, 2017. It included any patient who had a gynecological indication for a hysterectomy in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Yalgado Ouedraogo University Teaching Hospital (CHU-YO) during the study period. A total of 85 patients were included. We collected information from the consultation records, clinical records, and operating room registries and by surveying the patients themselves. Result: The frequency of hysterectomy in the gynecological period was 3.9%. The mean age of the patients was 51.71 (extremes: 35 and 66 years) and the mean parity was 4.8. Married women were the majority. Fibromyoma and genital prolapse accounted for 56.47% and 23.53% respectively of operative indications. Regarding postintervention sexuality, 29.41% of women declared no longer having sexual desire. Also, they complained of vaginal dryness (31.8%), decreased frequency of orgasm (42.3%), dyspareunia (37.65). Sexual dysfunction was present in 82.35% of women. There was a statistically significant difference between global sexual functioning and geographic origin, educational attainment, socio-economic level, surgical approach, preintervention sexual counseling, women’s psychological profile and their emotional relationship with their spouses. Conclusion: The psychosexual soundness of hysterectomy is important. A diagnosis of sexual disorders prior to the intervention and psychological follow-up throughout the therapeutic process of the pathology indicative of a hysterectomy is necessary for successful postoperative sexuality.

Severe Trauma of Uterus and the Right Limb during a Road Accident at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Teaching Hospital Souro Sanou of Bobo-Dioulasso: A Case Report and Review of Literature

The authors reported a case of trauma with uterus rupture at 35 weeks gestation with fetal death in uterus with a trauma of the right limb injuries during a serious road accident. Aim: the aim is to show the increasing of road accident with the motorized tricycle and their many risks for pregnant woman. Case Presentation: our patient was thrown from the back cargo of a motorized tricycle (three-wheeled vehicle) after a collision with a truck in a rural area from 150 km to Bobo-Dioulasso. She sustained a closed abdominal injury and a severe right lower limb open injury. At admission in our department in the Teaching Hospital, she was conscious, shocked with hemodynamic instability, including low blood pressure (75/52 mmHg), rapid heart rate (140 pulses per minute), rapid breath rate (40 per minute), and cold extremities. Abdominal examination was painful with uterine hypertonia, 28 cm height uterus, and no fetal heart heartbeat. A laparotomy in urgency revealed a rupture of the uterus fundus with a dead fetus. A conservative surgical treatment was performed. An open trauma to the right limb was managed by the orthopedists with a good outcome. Conclusion: Accident trauma during pregnancy is becoming more and more frequent with the increase in means of transport in urban and inter urban areas. The transport ways of the pregnant woman must take into account her safety and that of the fetus.

Hormonal Contraception and Hypertension at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yalgado Ouédraogo Teaching Hospital: Epidemiological, Clinical and Therapeutic Patterns

Context: The use of hormonal contraceptives could lead to a rise in blood pressure with an onset of hypertension. The objective of the study was to describe the epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic patterns of hypertension occurring in women on hormonal contraception. Patients and Methods: A retrospective study was carried out over a period of 5 years. It involved clients on hormonal contraception who developed hypertension during follow-up at the Family Planning Unit of the Yalgado Ouedraogo Teaching Hospital in Burkina Faso. Results: The global frequency of hypertension in clients on hormonal contraception was 1.8%;it varied depending on the type of methods of contraception used;it was 4.2% for clients on oral combined pills, 1% for implant users and 0.97% for women on injectable. The mean age of patients was 35.6 ± 8.4 years. Sixty-seven patients (84.8%) had mild to moderate hypertension. The mean time to onset of hypertension was respectively seventeen (17), thirty six (36) and thirty eight (38) months for patients on OCPs, CIP, and implants. After the discovery of hypertension, the contraception methods have been changed in 75.9% of cases, stopped in 5.2% of cases and the same contraception method was continued in 8.9% of cases. None of the patients who continued the same contraceptive method had obtained a normalization of blood pressure. Blood pressure was normalized in 48.6% of patients who have changed contraceptive methods. The average time of normalization of the blood pressure varied from three to five months, depending on the method that induces the hypertension. Conclusion: Hypertension on hormonal contraception is not uncommon. It is important to assess the risk factors for its occurrence at the initiation of contraception.

Disparities across the CREOG Districts —Variations of Wellness and Inclusivity Efforts in Obstetrics & Gynecology Residency Websites between Two Consecutive Years

Background: Few studies have focused on the geographic and chronologic assessment of inclusivity and wellness in Obstetrics and Gynecology residency websites across the US. Objective: To identify variations in wellness and inclusivity website depictions across CREOG districts over the past two years. Methods: This is a cross-sectional analysis of the websites of ACGME-accredited OB/GYN residency programs across the United States between April 2022 and April 2023. The assessment was based on a compilation of 22 attributes devised and piloted by 49 medical students. A racially, geographically, and gender-diverse cohort of 11 students performed data collection. Results: A total of 560 websites were analyzed over two years. Wellness efforts remained unchanged in both years (website content, dedicated support personnel, and group activities). In 2023, a reduction in referencing of wellness (22%) and inclusivity (30%) occurred in leadership messaging. However, a 7% increase in the use of inclusive pronouns was noted. A reduction in gender diversity was identified (9% in faculty, 5% in residents), with programs favoring female-only teams. Similarly, a 7% reduction in the number of underrepresented in medicine faculty and residents was noted. A 15% reduction was noted in curricula referencing inclusivity in their mission statement and inclusivity focused research. Conclusions: This study suggests the variations across websites relative to inclusivity and wellness over the past two years. Updated websites may provide an accurate reflection of the offerings of programs and their investment in wellness and inclusivity across the nation.

Congenital Vaginal Atresia:A Report of 39 Cases in a Regional Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital

To investigate the clinical course and management of congenital vaginal atresia. This retrospective analysis included patients with congenital vaginal atresia treated from March 2004 to August 2014 at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University. Thirty-nine patients were included in this study. Their average age was 16.87±2.2 years when they came to our hospital. Totally, 51% of the patients had isolated congenital vaginal atresia with a normal cervix, whereas the others had either cervical atresia or imperforate hymen. The primary presenting signs and symptoms included primary amenorrhea（71.8%）, periodic abdominalgia（41.0%）, abdominal pain（36.0%）, dyspareunia（10.3%）, menstrual disorders（5.1%）, and pelvic mass（5.1%）. Ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging（MRI） were effective inspection methods for the screening of urogenital tract-associated anomalies. Vaginoplasty mainly included simple vagina reconstruction with insertion of a mold（n=22） and split-thickness skin grafting（n=4）. In 64% of surgical patients, normal menstrual bleeding was achieved. Four of the patients subsequently became pregnant and delivered at term. Primary amenorrhea, periodic abdominalgia and abdominal pain are the main reasons for the post pubertal patients to visit doctors. Surgical methods can successfully provide these patients an opportunity for subsequent conservative management, can result in normal menstrual bleeding, resolve cyclic pelvic pain, and provide some potential for fertility.

Maternal Mortality in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Service of Regional Hospital Center of Ouahigouya: Epidemiological, Etiological Aspects and Contributing Factors—About 151 Cases Collected in Three Years from 1st January 2013 to 31 December 2015

The objective of our study was to study the epidemiological, etiological and contributory factors of maternal deaths in the obstetrics and gynecology department of the regional hospital center (RHC) of Ouahigouya from 2013 to 2015. We carried out a descriptive and analytical study on maternal deaths in maternity of the RHC of Ouahigouya, including all patients who died in the obstetrics and gynecology department of the RHC of Ouahigouya from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2015, which meets WHO’s definition of maternal death. We recorded 151 maternal deaths and 5481 live births, a maternal mortality ratio of 2755 per 100,000 live births. The most affected women were women aged 20 - 24 years (27.8%), multiparous (25.5%), married women (88.7%) and those without income-generating activities (85.4%). The main causes of death from direct obstetrical complications were hemorrhage (38.3%), infections (21.5%), abortions (16.8%) and complications of hypertension disorders (15.8%) and for indirect obstetrical complications, malaria (36.6%), anemia (29.5%), and HIV/AIDS (9.1%). Contributing factors to maternal deaths prior to admission were delay in referral (33.3%) and delay in transfer (31.5%) and delay in admission (32.8%) and delay in diagnosis (23.4). From our study, it appears elsewhere as well as that most maternal deaths are preventable, hence the need for coordinated actions to effectively fight against maternal mortality.

Risk Factors for Breast Cancer: A Case-Control Study of 315 Women Followed in the Gynecology and Oncology Departments of Two University Teaching Hospitals in Yaounde, Cameroon

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the first cause of cancer-related deaths among women in Cameroon. The aim of the study was to investigate its risk factors for breast cancer at two University Teaching Hospitals in Yaoundé. Methodology: A case-control study was conducted for 5 months, from February 25th to July 25th 2015, at the Gynecology unit of the Yaoundé Gyneco-Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital (YGOPH) and the Medical Oncology unit of the Yaoundé General Hospital (YGH). One hundred and five patients with breast cancer (cases) were compared to 210 women who did not have breast cancer (controls). SPSS Version 18.0.0 software was used to analyze the data with a statistical significance considered at P-value 50 years (P three times per week (P = 0.002;OR = 2.14;CI = [1.33 - 3.45]), palm oil consumption > two times per week (P = 0.001;OR = 2.38;CI = [1.4 - 4.1]). After multivariate analysis, age > 50 years (aOR = 41.48;CI = [2.46 - 69.9]) and consumption of red meat > three times per week [aOR = 7.33;(1.49 - 36)] were the risk factors considered significant for breast cancer. Conclusion: Age > 50 years and red meat consumption are independent risk factors for breast cancer at the Yaoundé General Hospital and at the Yaoundé Gyneco-Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital.

Surgical Activities in the Gynecology-Obstetrics Department of the Teaching Hospital Yalgado-Ouédraogo of Ouagadougou: Assessment of One Year of Practice from January 1^st, 2015 to December 31^st, 2015

Objective: The objective of our study was to study the surgical activities carried out in the gynecology-obstetrics department of the CHU-YO (Teaching Hospital Yalgado Ouédraogo) from January 1st 2015 to December 31st, 2015. Patients and Methods: This dealt with a cross-cutting descriptive and analytic study with retrospective data collection. Our study has included the female patients who underwent surgery in the operating room and whose medical records were usable. Results: 45% of female patients admitted in the concerned department underwent a surgery. The average age of patients was estimated at 28.02 years ±7 years with extremes of 13 years and 80 years. Obstetrical surgery has involved 89.9% of cases. Female patients have received a loco-regional anesthesia in 92.7% of cases. Emergency surgical operations accounted for 88.8% and caesarean section was the main surgical operation carried out in 87.1% of cases. The mortality rate of the overall surgical operations was 1.04%. Conclusion: A better availability of labile blood products is more likely to reduce the mortality rate of surgical operations under the threshold of 1%.

What is the purpose of launching the World Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology ?

World Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology （WJOG） is a new member of the World Series journals and is launched in June 10, 2012. WJOG is an open access peer-reviewed bimonthly journal that will cover obstet-rics and gynecology including reproductive medicine. The intention of WJOG is to publish papers that de-scribe and infuence the situation all around the world. The journal will publish both basic research and well as clinical fndings. The focus shall be on translational work. Please send your important findings and com-ments to WJOG.

The Place of Blood Transfusion in the Management of Obstetric Emergencies in the Gynaecology and Obstetrics Department of the Reference Health Center of Fana (Mali)

This is a prospective and descriptive study carried out at the gynecology and obstetrics department of the reference health center of Fana from 01 May 2019 to 30 November or 7 months. The main objective was to study the role of blood transfusion in the management of obstetric emergencies. During the study period we recorded 434 cases of obstetric emergencies of which 116 cases required an emergency blood transfusion or 26.73%. The most frequently found indications for blood transfusion are hemorrhages of the immediate postpartum 46.6% followed by severe malaria on pregnancy 27.6%. Blood remains the most prescribed and available Labile blood product in the department. Maternal prognosis was improved in 92.2%.

Acknowledgments to reviewers of World Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Many reviewers have contributed their expertise and time to the peer review,a critical process to ensure the quality of World Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.The editors and authors of the articles submitted to the journal are grateful to the following reviewers for evaluating the articles(including those published in this issue and those rejected for this issue)during the last editing time period.

Diagnostic challenges and individualized treatment of cervical adenocarcinoma metastases to the breast:A case report

BACKGROUND Cervical cancer is a rare primary tumor resulting in metastases to the breast with few cases reported in literature.Breast metastases are associated with poor prognosis.The following case highlights the diagnostic challenges associated with metastatic cervical cancer to the breast along with individualized treatment.CASE SUMMARY A 44-year-old G7P5025 with no significant past medical or surgical history presented with heavy vaginal to an outside emergency department where an exam and a pelvic magnetic resonance imaging showed a 4.5 cm heterogenous lobulated cervical mass involving upper two thirds of vagina,parametria and lymph node metastases.Cervical biopsies confirmed high grade adenocarcinoma with mucinous features.A positron emission tomography/computed tomography(PET/CT)did not show evidence of metastatic disease.She received concurrent cisplatin with external beam radiation therapy.Follow up PET/CT scan three months later showed no suspicious fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the cervix and no evidence of metastatic disease.Patient was lost to follow up for six months.She was re-imaged on re-presentation and found to have widely metastatic disease including breast disease.Breast biopsy confirmed programmed death-ligand 1 positive metastatic cervical cancer.The patient received six cycles of carboplatin and paclitaxel with pembrolizumab.Restaging imaging demonstrated response.Patient continued on pembrolizumab with disease control.CONCLUSION Metastatic cervical cancer to the breast is uncommon with nonspecific clinical findings that can make diagnosis challenging.Clinical history and immunohistochemical evaluation of breast lesion,and comparison to primary tumor can support diagnosis of metastatic cervical cancer to the breast.Overall,the prognosis is poor,but immunotherapy can be considered in select patients and may result in good disease response.

Efficacy and safety of minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery under general anesthesia for ovarian cancer

BACKGROUND Ovarian cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in female reproductive system in the world,and the choice of its treatment is very important for the survival rate and prognosis of patients.Traditional open surgery is the main treatment for ovarian cancer,but it has the disadvantages of big trauma and slow recovery.With the continuous development of minimally invasive technology,minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery under general anesthesia has been gradually applied to the treatment of ovarian cancer because of its advantages of less trauma and quick recovery.However,the efficacy and safety of minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery under general anesthesia in the treatment of ovarian cancer are still controversial.AIM To explore the efficacy and safety of general anesthesia minimally invasive surgery in the treatment of ovarian cancer.METHODS The clinical data of 90 patients with early ovarian cancer in our hospital were analyzed retrospectively.According to the different surgical treatment methods,patients were divided into study group and control group(45 cases in each group).The study group received minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery under general anesthesia for ovarian cancer,while the control group received traditional open surgery for ovarian cancer.The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire(EORTC QLQ-C30),clinical efficacy and safety of the two groups were compared.RESULTS The intraoperative blood loss,length of hospital stay,postoperative gas evacuation time,and postoperative EORTC QLQ-C30 score of the study group were significantly better than those of the control group(P<0.05).The incidence of postoperative complications in the study group was significantly lower than in the control group(P<0.05).The two groups had no significant differences in the preoperative adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH),androstenedione(AD),cortisol(Cor),cluster of differentiation 3 positive(CD3+),and cluster of differentiation 4 positive(CD4+)indexes(P>0.05).In contrast,postoperatively,the study group's ACTH,AD,and Cor indexes were lower,and the CD3+and CD4+indexes were higher than those in the control group(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery under general anesthesia in patients with early ovarian cancer can significantly improve the efficacy and safety,improve the short-term prognosis and quality of life of patients,and is worth popularizing.

Present situation and prospect of immunotherapy for unresectable locally advanced esophageal cancer during peri-radiotherapy

Four major studies(Checkmate577,Keynote-590,Checkmate649 and Attraction-4)of locally advanced esophageal cancer published in 2020 have established the importance of immunotherapy,represented by anti-programmed death protein(PD)-1 in postoperative adjuvant treatment and advanced first-line treatment of locally advanced or advanced esophageal cancer and esophagogastric junction cancer,from the aspects of proof of concept,long-term survival,overall survival rate and progression-free survival.For unresectable or inoperable nonmetastatic esophageal cancer,concurrent radiotherapy and chemotherapy is the standard treatment recommended by various guidelines.Because its curative effect is still not ideal,it is necessary to explore radical radiotherapy and chemotherapy in the future,and it is considered to be promising to combine them with immunotherapeutic drugs such as anti-PD-1.This paper mainly discusses how to combine radical concurrent radiotherapy and chemotherapy with immunotherapy for unresectable local advanced esophageal cancer.

Emerging mechanisms and implications of c GAS-STING signaling in cancer immunotherapy strategies

The intricate interplay between the human immune system and cancer development underscores the central role of immunotherapy in cancer treatment.Within this landscape,the innate immune system,a critical sentinel protecting against tumor incursion,is a key player.The cyclic GMP-AMP synthase(c GAS)and stimulator of interferon genes(STING)pathway has been found to be a linchpin of innate immunity:activation of this signaling pathway orchestrates the production of type I interferon(IFN-α/β),thus fostering the maturation,differentiation,and mobilization of immune effectors in the tumor microenvironment.Furthermore,STING activation facilitates the release and presentation of tumor antigens,and therefore is an attractive target for cancer immunotherapy.Current strategies to activate the STING pathway,including use of pharmacological agonists,have made substantial advancements,particularly when combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors.These approaches have shown promise in preclinical and clinical settings,by enhancing patient survival rates.This review describes the evolving understanding of the c GAS-STING pathway's involvement in tumor biology and therapy.Moreover,this review explores classical and non-classical STING agonists,providing insights into their mechanisms of action and potential for optimizing immunotherapy strategies.Despite challenges and complexities,the c GAS-STING pathway,a promising avenue for enhancing cancer treatment efficacy,has the potential to revolutionize patient outcomes.

Oxalate regulates crystal-cell adhesion and macrophage metabolism via JPT2/PI3K/AKT signaling to promote the progression of kidney stones

Oxalate is an organic dicarboxylic acid that is a common component of plant foods.The kidneys are essential organs for oxalate excretion,but excessive oxalates may induce kidney stones.Jupiter microtubule associated homolog 2(JPT2)is a critical molecule in Ca^(2+)mobilization,and its intrinsic mechanism in oxalate exposure and kidney stones remains unclear.This study aimed to reveal the mechanism of JPT2 in oxalate exposure and kidney stones.Genetic approaches were used to control JPT2 expression in cells and mice,and the JPT2 mechanism of action was analyzed using transcriptomics and untargeted metabolomics.The results showed that oxalate exposure triggered the upregulation of JPT2,which is involved in nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate(NAADP)-mediated Ca^(2+)mobilization.Transcriptomic analysis revealed that cell adhesion and macrophage inflammatory polarization were inhibited by JPT2 knockdown,and these were dominated by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K)/AKT signaling,respectively.Untargeted metabolomics indicated that JPT2 knockdown inhibited the production of succinic acid semialdehyde(SSA)in macrophages.Furthermore,JPT2 deficiency in mice inhibited kidney stones mineralization.In conclusion,this study demonstrates that oxalate exposure facilitates kidney stones by promoting crystal-cell adhesion,and modulating macrophage metabolism and inflammatory polarization via JPT2/PI3K/AKT signaling.

Identifying Comprehensive Genomic Alterations and Potential Neoantigens for Cervical Cancer Immunotherapy in a Cohort of Chinese Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Cervix

Objective Genomic alterations and potential neoantigens for cervical cancer immunotherapy were identified in a cohort of Chinese patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma(CSCC).Methods Whole-exome sequencing was used to identify genomic alterations and potential neoantigens for CSCC immunotherapy.RNA Sequencing was performed to analyze neoantigen expression.Results Systematic bioinformatics analysis showed that C>T/G>A transitions/transversions were dominant in CSCCs.Missense mutations were the most frequent types of somatic mutation in the coding sequence regions.Mutational signature analysis detected signature 2,signature 6,and signature 7 in CSCC samples.PIK3CA,FBXW7,and BICRA were identified as potential driver genes,with BICRA as a newly reported gene.Genomic variation profiling identified 4,960 potential neoantigens,of which 114 were listed in two neoantigen-related databases.Conclusion The present findings contribute to our understanding of the genomic characteristics of CSCC and provide a foundation for the development of new biotechnology methods for individualized immunotherapy in CSCC.

Antitumor Effect of Apcin on Endometrial Carcinoma via p21-Mediated Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis

Objective Endometrial carcinoma(EC)is a prevalent gynecological malignancy characterized by increasing incidence and mortality rates.This underscores the critical need for novel therapeutic targets.One such potential target is cell division cycle 20(CDC20),which has been implicated in oncogenesis.This study investigated the effect of the CDC20 inhibitor Apcin on EC and elucidated the underlying mechanism involved.Methods The effects of Apcin on EC cell proliferation,apoptosis,and the cell cycle were evaluated using CCK8 assays and flow cytometry.RNA sequencing(RNA-seq)was subsequently conducted to explore the underlying molecular mechanism,and Western blotting and coimmunoprecipitation were subsequently performed to validate the results.Animal studies were performed to evaluate the antitumor effects in vivo.Bioinformatics analysis was also conducted to identify CDC20 as a potential therapeutic target in EC.Results Treatment with Apcin inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in EC cells,resulting in cell cycle arrest.Pathways associated with apoptosis and the cell cycle were activated following treatment with Apcin.Notably,Apcin treatment led to the upregulation of the cell cycle regulator p21,which was verified to interact with CDC20 and consequently decrease the expression of downstream cyclins in EC cells.In vivo experiments confirmed that Apcin treatment significantly impeded tumor growth.Higher CDC20 expression was observed in EC tissue than in nonmalignant tissue,and increased CDC20 expression in EC patients was associated with shorter overall survival and progress free interval.Conclusion CDC20 is a novel molecular target in EC,and Apcin could be developed as a candidate antitumor drug for EC treatment.

Respiratory complications of propofol,sevoflurane,and dexmedetomidine anesthesia for fiberoptic bronchoscopy in children aged 1 month to 3 years:a randomized trial

Objective To evaluate the effect of propofol,sevoflurane,and dexmedetomidine on respiratory complications inchildren undergoing fiberoptic bronchoscopy(FOB).Methods This double-blind randomized clinical trial was conductedamong 120 children aged 1 month to 3 years undergoing FOB.The patients were randomized into 3 groups(n=40)foranesthesia induction with sevoflurane inhalation,1 mg/kg propofol,or 1μg/kg dexmedetomidine before bronchoscopy,andthe changes in hemodynamic parameters,sedation level,and respiratory complications during and after the procedure wereassessed.Results The patients'heart rate during bronchoscopy was significantly lower and the mean arterial blood pressuresignificantly higher in dexmedetomidine group than in sevoflurane and propofol groups(P<0.05).Cough duringbronchoscopy did not occur in any of the cases in propofol group,while the highest frequency of cough was recorded indexmedetomidine group.The incidence of laryngospasm in the propofol group(12.5%)was significantly lower than those insevoflurane and dexmedetomidine groups(30%and 32.5%,respectively)(P<0.05).Conclusion Sevoflurane and propofol aresafe and suitable for anesthesia induction in children below 3 years of age undergoing diagnostic FOB and can achieve bettersedative effect and lower the incidences of cough and respiratory complications as compared with dexmedetomidine.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Erhuang Suppository for Treatment of Persistent High-risk Human Papillomavirus Infection and Its Impact on Transcriptome of Uterine Cervix

Objective High-risk human papillomavirus(HR-HPV)infection is the chief cause of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia(CIN)and cervical carcinoma.The Erhuang suppository(EHS)is a traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)prepared from realgar(As_(2)S_(2)),Coptidis rhizoma,alumen,and borneolum syntheticum and has been used for antiviral and antitumor purposes.However,whether EHS can efficiently alleviate HR-HPV infection remains unclear.This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of EHS for the treatment of persistent HR-HPV infection in the uterine cervix.Methods In this study,we evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of EHS in a randomized controlled clinical trial with a 3-month follow-up.Totally,70 patients with persistent HR-HPV infection were randomly assigned to receive intravaginal administration of EHS or placebo.HPV DNA,ThinPrep cytologic test(TCT),colposcopy,and safety evaluation were carried out after treatment.Microarray analysis was performed to compare transcriptome profiles before and after EHS treatment.A K14-HPV16 mouse model was generated to confirm the efficiency of EHS.Results After 3 months,74.3%(26/35)of the patients in the treatment group were HPV negative,compared to 6.9%(2/29)in the placebo group.High-throughput microarrays revealed distinct transcriptome profiles after treatment.The differentially expressed genes were significantly enriched in complement activation,immune response,and apoptotic processes.The K14-HPV16 mouse model also validated the remarkable efficacy of EHS.Conclusion This study demonstrated that EHS is effective against HR-HPV infection and cervical lesions.Additionally,no obvious systemic toxicity was observed in patients during the trial.The superior efficacy and safety of EHS demonstrated its considerable value as a potential cost-effective drug for the treatment of HPV infection and HPV-related cervical diseases.