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Original article
Population attributable fraction of pelvic inflammatory disease associated with chlamydia and gonorrhoea: a cross-sectional analysis of Australian sexual health clinic data
  1. Jane L Goller1,
  2. Alysha M De Livera1,
  3. Christopher K Fairley2,
  4. Rebecca J Guy3,
  5. Catriona S Bradshaw2,
  6. Marcus Y Chen2,
  7. Julie A Simpson1,
  8. Jane S Hocking1
  1. 1Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population & Global Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
  2. 2Central Clinical School, Monash University and Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Carlton, Victoria, Australia
  3. 3Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
  1. Correspondence to Jane Louise Goller, Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Level 3, 207 Bouverie St, Parkville, 3053 Australia; jane.goller{at}unimelb.edu.au

Abstract

Objectives Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an important cause of female infertility and can occur when micro-organisms such as chlamydia or gonorrhoea ascend to the upper genital tract. PID has been used as an outcome measure in chlamydia screening trials; however, few data have quantified the PID burden that could be avoided by preventing chlamydia. We estimated the population attributable fraction (PAF) of PID associated with a current chlamydia or gonorrhoea infection among females 16–49 years attending an Australian sexual health clinic (SHC) (2006–2013).

Methods Using multivariable logistic regression, PAF estimates were adjusted for age and behavioural factors. Two separate analyses were undertaken: one among ‘chlamydia-tested’ women and one among a subset of chlamydia-tested women who were also tested for gonorrhoea (‘chlamydia+gonorrhoea-tested’). A sensitivity analysis using multiple imputation was conducted to assess the impact of missing data on results.

Results Among 15 690 chlamydia-tested women, 1279 (8.2%, 95% CI 7.7% to 8.6%) were chlamydia positive, 436 (2.8%, 95% CI 2.5% to 3.0%) had PID diagnosed and the adjusted PAF for chlamydia was 14.1% (95% CI 9.9% to 18.0%). Among the chlamydia+gonorrhoea-tested subset (n=8839), 681 (7.7%, 95% CI 7.2% to 8.3%) tested positive for chlamydia only, 30 (0.3%, 95% CI 0.2% to 0.5%) for gonorrhoea only, 22 (0.2%, 95% CI 0.2% to 0.4%) for chlamydia and gonorrhoea and 419 (4.7%, 95% CI 4.3% to 5.2%) had PID diagnosed. The adjusted PAF was highest for chlamydia only (12.4%, 95% CI 8.4% to 16.2%) compared with gonorrhoea only (0.9%, 95% CI −0.1% to 1.8%) or concurrent infections (1.0%, 95% CI 0.0% to 1.9%).

Conclusions In this high chlamydia prevalence SHC population, eliminating a current chlamydia infection might at most reduce PID by about 14%.

  • PELVIC INFLAMMATORY DISEASE
  • CHLAMYDIA INFECTION
  • GONORRHOEA
  • WOMEN

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