Table 4.
Association between potential risk factors and vaginal microbiome.
| Characteristic | Total‡ | Lactobacillus dominant microbiota* | L. crispatus dominant microbiota** | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n† | n† (%) | OR (95% CI) | p value | n† (%) | OR (95% CI) | p value | |
| Age, years | – | – | 1.00 (0.97–1.03) | 0.92 | – | 1.01 (0.97–1.06) | 0.56 |
| Socioeconomic status | |||||||
| Low | 149 | 75 (50) | 1.00 | 10 (7) | 1.00 | ||
| Middle | 145 | 70 (48) | 0.92 (0.57–1.48) | 0.73 | 10 (7) | 1.03 (0.42–2.50) | 0.95 |
| High | 59 | 29 (39 | 0.95 (0.52–1.74) | 0.88 | 5 (8) | 1.29 (0.43–3.81) | 0.65 |
| Education, years | |||||||
| ≤ 6 | 39 | 15 (38) | 1.00 | 2 (5) | |||
| 7–12 | 100 | 47 (47) | 1.42 (0.68–2.95) | 0.35 | 3 (3) | 0.57 (0.09–3.64) | 0.55 |
| > 12 | 214 | 112 (52) | 1.76 (0.89–3.46) | 0.10 | 20 (9) | 1.91 (0.42–8.71) | 0.41 |
| Menopausal | |||||||
| No | 294 | 141 (48) | 1.00 | 17 (5) | 1.00 | ||
| Yes | 48 | 26 (54)) | 1.28 (0.65–2.53) | 0.47 | 5 (10) | 1.89 (0.68–5.23) | 0.22 |
| Time since last menstrual period, days | |||||||
| ≤ 15 | 119 | 53 (45) | 1.00 | 6 (5) | 1.00 | ||
| > 15 | 125 | 58 (46) | 1.08 (0.64–1.83) | 0.78 | 8 (6) | 1.29 (0.43–3.87) | 0.65 |
| Douche regularly | |||||||
| No | 141 | 64 (45) | 1.00 | 10 (7) | 1.00 | ||
| Yes | 156 | 79 (51) | 1.23 (0.78–1.96) | 0.37 | 10 (6) | 0.90 (0.36–2.21) | 0.81 |
| Body Mass Index, kg/m2 | |||||||
| Normal weight, 18.5–24.9 | 110 | 52 (47) | 1.00 | 5 (5) | 1.00 | ||
|
Overweight, 25.0–29.9 |
144 | 75 (52) | 1.21 (0.73–2.00) | 0.45 | 10 (7) | 1.57 (0.54–4.59) | 0.41 |
| Obese, ≥ 30.0 | 86 | 39 (45) | 0.93 (0.51–1.67) | 0.80 | 8 (9) | 2.15 (0.70–6.64) | 0.18 |
| HIV status | |||||||
| Negative | 110 | 66 (60) | 1.00 | 14 (13) | 1.00 | ||
| Positive | 243 | 108 (44) | 0.53 (0.34–0.84) | 0.007 | 11 (5) | 0.33 (0.15–0.72) | 0.006 |
| Sex within 24 h | |||||||
| No | 305 | 150 (49) | 1.00 | 23 (8)) | 1.00 | ||
| Yes | 46 | 23 (50) | 1.08 (0.61–1.91) | 0.80 | 1 (2) | 0.69 (0.20–2.40) | 0.56 |
| Total sex partners in lifetime | – | – | 0.98 (0.92–1.04) | 0.45 | – | 0.97 (0.89–1.07) | 0.61 |
| Total sex partners in 1 year | – | – | 1.04 (0.71–1.53) | 0.83 | – | 0.71 (0.34–1.51) | 0.38 |
| Condom use | |||||||
| No | 192 | 100 (52) | 1.00 | 16 (8) | 1.00 | ||
| Yes | 74 | 74 (46) | 0.78 (0.51–1.20) | 0.26 | 9 (6) | 0.65 (0.29–1.48) | 0.31 |
| Oral contraceptive use | |||||||
| No | 315 | 156 (50) | 1.00 | 24 (8) | 1.00 | ||
| Yes | 38 | 18 (47) | 0.92 (0.44–1.92) | 0.82 | 1 (3) | 0.33 (0.04–2.55) | 0.29 |
*Relative abundance of Lactobacillus species > 70%.
**Relative abundance of L. crispatus > 70%.
†Frequency of exposure at the two visits combined. The outcomes and some variables (oral contraceptive use, condom use, total sex partners in 1 year, total sex partners in lifetime, sex within 24 h, BMI, douche regularly, time since last menstrual period, menopausal state) were modelled as time varying covariates. Correlation within person measurements were accounted for in GEE models.
Given the variability between participants that clustered in CST groups, we used a marker of community functionality—hence analysis by relative abundance of Lactobacillus. 70% is used at cut off because of the distribution of the relative abundance of Lactobacillus in the different CST groups.
‡59 participants were missing vaginal microbiota at baseline, and 13 participants were missing vaginal microbiota at follow up.