Treatment of bacterial vaginosis: a randomised controlled trial

本研究项目的目的是确定是否可以改善细菌性阴道病（BV）的治疗。细菌性阴道病是女性阴道分泌物最常见的原因之一。它还可能产生严重后果，如早产，并可能增加艾滋病毒传播的风险。这些并发症使社区花费数百万美元;例如，在美国，估计仅BV引起的早产每年花费约10亿美元。目前推荐的BV治疗最初效果良好（第一个月约80%有反应），但到12个月时，大多数（60%）复发。这项随机临床研究正在研究治疗BV的新方法。目前推荐的治疗方法（抗生素甲硝唑）正在与其他两种治疗方法进行比较。研究的第二组涉及同时使用两种抗生素（甲硝唑和克林霉素），第三组涉及使用细菌（乳酸杆菌）和雌激素。乳酸杆菌是一种可以帮助维持正常细菌（并防止BV复发）的细菌，雌激素可能具有类似的作用。如果这两种治疗方法中的任何一种能够改善BV的长期治疗，那么受影响的妇女和整个社区都将受益匪浅。

The objective of this research project is to determine if the treatment of Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) can be improved. Bacterial vaginosis is one of the most common causes of vaginal discharge in women. It can also have serious consequences, such as premature labour and can also increase the risk of HIV transmission. These complication cost communities many millions of dollars; for example in the US it is estimated that premature labour caused by BV alone costs about 1 billion dollars a year. The currently recommended treatment for BV works well initially (first month about 80% respond) but by 12 months most (60%) have relapsed. This randomised clinical study is investigating new ways to treat BV. The currently recommended arm of treatment (antibiotic metronidazole) is being compared to two other treatments. The second arm of the study involves the use of two antibiotics at once (metronidazole and clindamycin) and the third arm involves the use of a bacterial (lactobacilli) and oestrogen. Lactobacilli are bacteria that may help maintain the normal bacterial (and there by prevent relapse of BV) and oestrogen may have a similar effect. If either of these treatments improved the longer term treatment of BV, very significant benefits would flow to affected women and the community as a whole.