A Clinical Update in Treatment of Bacterial Vaginosis
A supplement to Ob. Gyn. News.
This supplement is jointly sponsored by Excerpta Medica, Inc. and Ob. Gyn. News and supported by a restricted educational grant from 3M Pharmaceuticals.
Highlights of a clinical roundtable discussion that took place on January 9, 2004 in Costa Rica.
To view the supplement, click the image above. To take the CME test, download and print out the PDF file, and follow the test instructions on page 16.
Contents/Faculty Disclosure
Introduction
Jack D. Sobel, MD
Professor & Chief
Division of Infectious Diseases
Wayne State University
Detroit Clinical Grants: 3M Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer, and Ortho-McNeil. Discusses the unlabeled use of metronidazole gel for maintenance therapy of bacterial vaginosis.
Primary Care Perspective in Treating Bacterial Vaginosis
Daron G. Ferris, MD
Professor of Family Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynecology
Medical College of Georgia
Augusta Clinical Grants: 3M Pharmaceuticals; Consultant to and received honoraria for CME presentations from 3M Pharmaceuticals.
Misdiagnosis of Vaginal Infections
Paul Nyirjesy, MD
Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Drexel University College of Medicine
Philadelphia Clinical Grants: 3M Pharmaceuticals and Pfizer, Inc.; Consultant: 3M Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products.
Bacterial Vaginosis and Cervical Inflammation
Jane R. Schwebke, MD
Professor of Medicine
University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine Clinical Grants: 3M Pharmaceuticals, Personal Care Products, Pfizer and Rostam; Consultant: 3M Pharmaceuticals and Rostam.
Cervical Cytokine Response in Pregnant Women Treated for Bacterial Vaginosis
Sharon L. Hillier, PhD.
Professor
Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences
Magee—Womens Hospital of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Pittsburgh Clinical Grants: 3M Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer, Inc. and Johnson & Johnson; Consultant: 3M Pharmaceuticals, Cytokine PharmaSciences, Inc., Rostam Ltd., and Wyeth. She discusses the unlabeled use of metronidazole gel for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis in pregnancy.
Recent Findings in the Treatment of Recurrent Bacterial Vaginosis
Jack D. Sobel, MD
Challenges for the Nurse Practitioner/Physician Assistant in Managing Patients with Vaginitis
Mimi Secor, MS, FNP
CEO/President—NPACE
Natick, Mass. Consultant: 3M Pharmaceuticals. She discusses the unlabeled use of metronidazole vaginal gel 0.75% for suppressive therapy of chronic bacterial vaginosis.
Target Audience
This activity has been developed for obstetricians/gynecologists, family practice physicians, nurse practitioners, and other health care professionals who are involved in the diagnosis and treatment of bacterial vaginosis.
Educational Needs
Bacterial vaginosis (BV), once thought to be an infection that caused symptomatic vaginitis and discomfort to women, but was not harmful outside the vaginal microenvironment, is now known to be associated with many adverse sequelae, including increased risk of preterm birth, premature rupture of membranes, pelvic inflammatory disease, mucopurulent cervicities, postoperative infections, and spontaneous abortion. Clinicians who treat patients with the condition need to keep abreast of recent advancements in BV research, such as studies that demonstrate that proinflammatory cytokines are elevated in the cervical secretions of women with BV and trials that evaluate maintenance suppressive therapy for treatment of recurrent BV.
Learning Objectives
After reading and studying the presentations in this supplement, participants should be prepared to:
• List the criteria for diagnosing BV and how to distinguish it from vulvovaginal candidiasis and other conditions involving symptomatic vaginal discharge.
• Summarize recent research that examined cervical cytokine response in BV and the implications of these findings for treatment of mucopurulent cervicitis.
• Describe the conflicting data surrounding treatment of pregnant women with BV to prevent preterm birth and other complications.
• Identify two novel therapeutic regimens that are being evaluated to treat recurrent BV.
Accreditation
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and Policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint sponsorship of Excerpta Medica, Inc., and Ob. Gyn. News. Excerpta Medica is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Excerpta Medica designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.25 category 1 credits toward the AMA Physician's Recognition Award. Each physician should claim only those credits that he/she actually spent in the educational activity.
The American Medical Association has determined that non-US licensed physicians who participate in this activity are eligible for AMA/Physician's Recognition Award category 1 credit.
