Table 2 Intravaginal practices in the month prior to enrollment and laboratory parameters at baseline (vaginal flora, BV, HIV plasma and genital viral load, IL-6 and IL-8) by condition. (n = 128)
Condition N(%) Median(IQR) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
All | Experimental (n = 58) | SOC+ (n = 70) | p-value | |
Product use for IVP in the prior month | ||||
Water | ||||
No | 10 (7.8%) | 5 (8.6%) | 5 (7.1%) | |
Yes | 118 (92.2%) | 53 (91.4%) | 65 (92.9%) | 0.755a |
Soap | ||||
No | 39 (30.5%) | 22 (37.9%) | 17 (24.3%) | |
Yes | 89 (69.5%) | 36 (62.1%) | 53 (75.7%) | 0.095 |
Cloth, sponge or a rag | ||||
No | 33 (47.1%) | 27 (46.6%) | 33 (47.1%) | |
Yes | 68 (53.1%) | 31 (53.4%) | 37 (52.9%) | > 0.999 |
Traditional medicines | ||||
No | 91 (71.1%) | 43 (74.1%) | 48 (68.6%) | |
Yes | 37 (28.9%) | 15 (25.9%) | 22 (31.4%) | 0.489 |
Herbs or flowers from outdoors | ||||
No | 103 (80.5%) | 46 (79.3%) | 57 (81.4%) | |
Yes | 25 (19.5%) | 12 (20.7%) | 13 (18.6%) | 0.763 |
Lemon | ||||
No | 115 (89.3%) | 52 (89.7%) | 63 (90.0%) | |
Yes | 13 (10.2%) | 6 (10.3%) | 7 (10.0%) | > 0.999 |
Salt | ||||
No | 117 (91.4%) | 54 (93.1%) | 63 (90.0%) | |
Yes | 11 (8.6%) | 4 (6.9%) | 7 (10.0%) | 0.753a |
Vinegar | ||||
No | 124 (96.9%) | 56 (96.6%) | 68 (97.1%) | |
Yes | 4 (3.1%) | 2 (3.4%) | 2 (2.9%) | 0.848a |
Laboratory parameters | ||||
Abnormal vaginal flora | ||||
No | 30 (23.4%) | 16 (27.6%) | 14 (20.0%) | |
Yes | 98 (76.6%) | 42 (72.4%) | 56 (80.0%) | 0.213 |
Bacterial vaginosis | ||||
No | 47 (36.7%) | 24 (41.4%) | 23 (32.9%) | |
Yes | 81 (63.3%) | 34 (58.6%) | 47 (67.1%) | 0.319 |
Plasma HIV RNA | ||||
Undetectable | 100 (78.1%) | 46 (79.3%) | 54 (77.1%) | |
Detectable | 28 (21.9%) | 12 (20.7%) | 16 (22.9%) | 0.768 |
CVL HIV RNA | ||||
Undetectable | 108 (84.4%) | 50 (86.2%) | 58 (82.9%) | |
Detectable | 20 (15.6%) | 8 (13.8%) | 12 (17.1%) | 0.603 |
Lower genital tract cytokines | ||||
IL-6 (n = 68; Exp = 35, SOC+ = 33) | 289.9 (258.0) | 306.3 (313.7) | 282.6 (249.1) | 0.944 |
IL-8 (n = 68; Exp = 35, SOC+ = 33) | 332.5 (1781.9) | 380.11 (1311.9) | 227.5 (2285.5) | < 0.001 |