From: Association between cigarette smoking and the vaginal microbiota: a pilot study
 | Non-smokers* | Smokers | P value** | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | n | % | n | % |  |
Vaginal community state type (CST)§ |  |  |  |  | 0.04 |
  CST I, L. crispatus-dominated | 13 | 65.0 | 6 | 30.0 |  |
  CST III, L. iners-dominated | 4 | 20.0 | 4 | 20.0 |  |
  CST IV, Lactobacillus-deficient | 3 | 15.0 | 10 | 50.0 |  |
Nugent Gram stain score | Â | Â | Â | Â | 0.02 |
  0-3 | 17 | 85.0 | 10 | 50.0 |  |
  4-6 | 2 | 10.0 | 2 | 10.0 |  |
  7-10 | 1 | 5.0 | 8 | 40.0 |  |
Vaginal pH†|  |  |  |  | 0.13 |
  <=4 | 10 | 50.0 | 4 | 20.0 |  |
  4.1-5.5 | 1 | 5.0 | 2 | 10.0 |  |
  4.6-5.0 | 4 | 20.0 | 3 | 15.0 |  |
  > = 5.1 | 5 | 25.0 | 11 | 55.0 |  |
Age | Â | Â | Â | Â | <0.01 |
  18-28 | 17 | 85.0 | 5 | 25.0 |  |
  29-39 | 1 | 5.0 | 7 | 35.0 |  |
  40-45 | 2 | 10.0 | 8 | 40.0 |  |
Ethnicity | Â | Â | Â | Â | 0.16 |
  African-American | 5 | 25.0 | 10 | 50.0 |  |
  Asian/Pacific islander | 3 | 15.0 | 1 | 5.0 |  |
  Hispanic | 3 | 15.0 | 0 | 0.0 |  |
  Multi-racial | 1 | 5.0 | 3 | 15.0 |  |
  White | 8 | 40.0 | 6 | 30.0 |  |
Marital status | Â | Â | Â | Â | 0.09 |
  Never married | 17 | 85.0 | 10 | 50.0 |  |
  Married | 2 | 10.0 | 4 | 20.0 |  |
  Separated, divorced, widowed | 1 | 5.0 | 5 | 25.0 |  |
  Other | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 5.0 |  |
Education, years | Â | Â | Â | Â | 0.06 |
  12 | 0 | 0.0 | 5 | 25.0 |  |
  13-16 | 18 | 90.0 | 13 | 65.0 |  |
  > = 17 | 2 | 10.0 | 2 | 10.0 |  |
Biomarkers of smoking | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
  Cotinine, ng/ml |  |  |  |  | <0.01 |
  0-10 | 1 | 5.0 | 0 | 0.0 |  |
  11-30 | 17 | 85.0 | 0 | 0.0 |  |
  31-100 | 2 | 10.0 | 0 | 0.0 |  |
  101-200 | - | - | - | - |  |
  201-500 | - | - | - | - |  |
  501-1000 | 0 | 0.0 | 2 | 10.0 |  |
  >1000 | 0 | 0.0 | 18 | 90.0 |  |
  Carbon monoxide exhalation, ppm |  |  |  |  | <0.01 |
  0-7 | 20 | 100.0 | 0 | 0.0 |  |
  8-10 | 0 | 0.0 | 11 | 55.0 |  |
  11+ | 0 | 0.0 | 9 | 45.0 |  |
Self-reported factors | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
  Number of cigarettes per day |  |  |  |  | <0.01 |
  None | 20 | 100.0 | 0 | 0.0 |  |
  1-10 | 0 | 0.0 | 11 | 55.0 |  |
  11-20 | 0 | 0.0 | 9 | 45.0 |  |
  Symptoms in 24 hours prior to visit |  |  |  |  |  |
  Odor | 5 | 25.0 | 3 | 15.0 | 0.70 |
  Irritation | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | - |
  Itching | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | - |
  Burning | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | - |
  Pain on urination | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | - |
  Discharge | 5 | 25.0 | 4 | 20.0 | >0.99 |
  Diagnoses in the prior 2 months |  |  |  |  |  |
  None | 19 | 95.0 | 17 | 94.4 | 0.73 |
  Bacterial vaginosis | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 5.6 |  |
  Trichomonas vaginalis and Chlamydia trachomatis | 1 | 5.0 | 0 | 0.0 |  |
  Number of male sex partners in the prior 2 months |  |  |  |  | 0.63 |
  0 | 5 | 26.3 | 4 | 21.1 |  |
  1 | 11 | 57.9 | 14 | 73.7 |  |
  2-3 | 3 | 15.8 | 1 | 5.3 |  |
  Number of female sex partners in the prior 2 months |  |  |  |  | 0.73 |
  0 | 16 | 94.1 | 14 | 93.3 |  |
  1 | 1 | 5.9 | 1 | 6.7 |  |
  Lifetime number of sex partners |  |  |  |  | <0.01 |
  0-4 | 8 | 40 | 2 | 11.1 |  |
  5-7 | 9 | 45 | 1 | 5.6 |  |
  8+ | 3 | 15 | 15 | 83.3 |  |
  Hormonal contraception (HC) |  |  |  |  | 0.19 |
  Other, non-HC | 6 | 33.3 | 8 | 57.1 |  |
  Oral contraceptive pill | 11 | 61.1 | 4 | 28.6 |  |
  Injectable | 1 | 5.6 | 2 | 14.3 |  |
  Frequency of vaginal douching in prior 2 months |  |  |  |  | 0.06 |
  None | 18 | 90.0 | 12 | 63.2 |  |
  Every now and then | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 5.3 |  |
  1–2 times per month | 1 | 5.0 | 5 | 26.3 |  |
  1 time per week | 1 | 5.0 | 0 | 0.0 |  |
  More than one time per week | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 5.3 |  |
  Sexual activity in prior 24 hours |  |  |  |  | 0.34 |
  No vaginal intercourse | 15 | 75.0 | 10 | 50.0 |  |
  Vaginal intercourse without a condom | 3 | 15.0 | 6 | 30.0 |  |
  Vaginal intercourse with a condom | 2 | 10.0 | 4 | 20.0 |  |
  Menstrual hygiene in prior 24 hours |  |  |  |  | >0.99 |
  Sanitary napkin, no tampon | 11 | 57.9 | 11 | 64.7 |  |
  Sanitary napkin only | 2 | 10.5 | 1 | 5.9 |  |
  Tampon only | 4 | 21.1 | 4 | 23.5 |  |
  Tampon and sanitary napkin | 2 | 10.5 | 1 | 5.9 |  |