Pelvic inflammatory disease in the adolescent

Intrauterine devices and pelvic inflammatory disease among adolescents

Adolescents may be ideal candidates for intrauterine device (IUD) use, given high rates of unintended pregnancy and less successful use of short-acting contraceptive methods. Concerns about elevated risks of pelvic inflammatory disease in adolescents, with the consequences of infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and pelvic pain, prevent many clinicians from inserting IUDs in adolescents. The body of evidence examining risks of pelvic infection related to IUD use specifically in adolescents is limited, but is reassuring that the absolute risk of pelvic infection is small and that the benefits of IUD use likely outweigh the risks.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease in Adolescents

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a polymicrobial infection typically occurring in sexually active females. It occurs when microorganisms ascend from the lower genital tract into the upper genital tract. The clinical presentation varies in severity, with most patients presenting with mild disease. Complications include tubo-ovarian abscess, ectopic pregnancy, infertility, and chronic pain. The newly revised criteria issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now include either cervical motion tenderness or adnexal tenderness with unchanged additional criteria.

Menstrual disorders in the college age female

College-age young women frequently experience a variety of menstrual-related complaints, including dysmenorrheal, menorrhagia, irregular menses, and menstrual-related mood changes. These problems deserve careful evaluation; they may reflect normal ovulatory menstrual symptoms or be suggestive of significant pathology that can have a major impact on future reproductive and general health. The menstrual cycle is a vital sign whose normalcy suggests an overall good health and whose abnormality requires evaluation. Eating disorders and the female athlete triad increase the risk of osteoporosis; polycystic ovary syndrome is associated with future cardiovascular risks. Diagnosis and management of these problems will not only improve a young woman's current health, sense of well-being, and overall quality of life but may also lower her risks for future disease and ill-health. This article addresses normal menstrual function, excessive bleeding, infrequent or absent menses, pain with menses, menstrual-related mood disorders, and recommendations about routine gynecologic examinations and evaluation.

Sexually transmitted diseases in adolescents

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are among the top 10 reportable diseases in the United States. Of the more than 12 million cases annually, approximately 3 million occur in adolescents. An estimated two thirds of cases occur in individuals younger than age 25. Almost half of adolescents report ever being sexually active, and approximately one third are currently sexually active. For a number of biologic and psychosocial reasons, sexually active adolescents have the highest rate of STDs of any sexually active age group. They suffer from the acute manifestations of these diseases as well as complications that place them at risk for some significant long-term negative sequelae, such as infertility, chronic pelvic pain, and cancer. This article reviews the reasons for this increased risk and provides updates on the common STDs that affect adolescents.

Social and behavioral correlates of pelvic inflammatory disease

OBJECTIVES

To review the social and behavioral correlates of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in the light of the renewed interest in the transmission dynamics of communicable diseases, the new emphasis on health care seeking and health service provision, and increased attention to contextual and population level factors affecting morbidity.

METHODS

Social and behavioral correlates of PID are reviewed using a conceptual scheme that matrixes the differences among risk factors for exposure, acquisition, and development of sequelae with the differences between individual-level risk factors and population-level determinants.

RESULTS

Two major factors contribute to the development of PID: recurrent (or persistent) chlamydial infection of the cervix, which are geographically concentrated and associated with contextual variables, and critical delays in detection and treatment of cervical infection, which are amenable to interventions.

CONCLUSIONS

Widespread screening for cervical infection followed by timely and appropriate treatment is key for prevention of PID. Health care seeking, provider training, and availability of detection technologies and drugs need to be improved.

Health care seeking behaviors related to sexually transmitted diseases among adolescents

OBJECTIVES

This study identified social, cognitive, and behavioral factors associated with how adolescents seek health care for sexually transmitted diseases.

METHODS

Data for male and female adolescents (n = 208) attending a clinic specializing in sexually transmitted diseases were examined.

RESULTS

Symptomatic female adolescents required greater time to obtain care than asymptomatic female adolescents or symptomatic male adolescents. Factors affecting duration of care seeking interval included perception of barriers to care, lower self-efficacy for response to a sexually transmitted disease, greater perceived seriousness of sexually transmitted diseases, previous history of sexually transmitted diseases, and stigma.

CONCLUSIONS

Improved secondary sexually transmitted disease prevention efforts among adolescents require reductions in barriers to care and improved symptom recognition by adolescents.

Recognition of tubo-ovarian abscess in adolescents with pelvic inflammatory disease

PURPOSE

Ultrasonography of the pelvis is commonly used to diagnose tubo-ovarian abscess (TOA) in patients with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Our objective was to determine whether the clinical features of PID differ in adolescents with and without TOA.

METHODS

A retrospective design was used to derive and validate a clinical model differentiating adolescents with PID who did and did not have TOA. The study population consisted of hospitalized adolescents with a discharge diagnosis of PID. Of the 208 patients discharged from January 1, 1990, to July 31, 1993, 87 (42%) met published criteria for PID and comprised the derivation set. Of the 63 patients from August 1, 1993, to June 24, 1994, 30 (48%) met criteria and comprised the validation set. All patients had pelvic ultrasonography performed during hospitalization. The ultrasonography records were reviewed retrospectively for TOA, ovarian and uterine size, clarity of tissue planes, and endometrial or cul-de-sac fluid. Medical records were reviewed for sociodemographic characteristics, medical and sexual history, physical examination, laboratory results, and hospital course.

RESULTS

TOA was present in 17% of the derivation set and 20% of the validation set. A six-variable model developed on the derivation set performed best in differentiating the TOA and non-TOA groups: last menstrual period > 18 days prior to admission (60% and 17%), previous PID (53% and 22%), palpable adnexal mass (13% and 3%), white blood cell count > or = 10,500/microliters (33% and 64%), erythrocyte sedimentation rate > 15 mm/h (33% and 64%), and heart rate > 90/min (40% and 78%). In the derivation and validation sets, the model correctly identified 78 and 83% of the TOA groups and 88 and 77% of the non-TOA groups. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the model was 0.92 in the derivation set and 0.87 in the validation set.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that clinical characteristics help identify adolescents with acute PID who have TOA. These patients may have fewer signs of acute illness than those without TOA and may develop symptoms later in the menstrual cycle.