Table 1.

Summary of studies comparing concentrations of cytokines and anti-microbial peptides in genital secretions of women with and without BV, showing the number and type of studies reviewed and how many showed an increase, decrease or no difference in the analyte of interest.

		Increase		No difference		Decrease
		Cross-sectional	Longitudinal	Cross-sectional	Longitudinal	Cross-sectional	Longitudinal
IL1ba	CVL	726,46,55,62–64	343,44, 67		141
	VS	138	142
	CS	265,66	240,45
IL2	CVL			169
	CS	168	140	170
IL4	CVL			226,69
	CS		140	170
IL6	CVL			426,46,38,71	341,67,73
	VS				142
	CS	168	145	270, 72	240
IL8b	CVL	173	341,43,67	426,46,63,64			144
	VS	138		176	142
	CS	274,75	145	270,72			140
IL10	CVL	177		226,71		162
	CS	178	140	370,72,75
IL12c	CVL			226,71
	CS	168		270,75
TNFad	CVL			126
	CS	166	140	268,70
IFNg	CVL			126		169 (trend)
	CS		140	368,70,75
RANTES	CVL		143
	CS		179	170
SLPI	CVL						179
	VS					238,80	142
HNP1–3	CVL						144
	VS	1e 81			147	1e 81
	CS			182
HBD2	CVL	169					144
	VS				147
HBD3	CVL						144
	VS						147

^a3 studies showed increase with abnormal Nugent score, not BV^{23, 64,65}

^b1 study showed an increase with abnormal Nugent score, not BV⁷⁴

^cNot detected: 1 study⁷⁷

^dNot detectable: 2 studies^46,73

^eHNP 1–3 was elevated in white participants with BV, and lower in black participants with BV, compared to women without BV

CVL = Cervicovaginal lavage, VS = vaginal swab, CS = cervical swab or cytobrush