Table 7.
Comparison of vaginal parameters (pH, Nugent score, TGF-β 1, TGF-β 2, and VEGF concentrations, and Lactobacillus counts) of all women who were able to complete a full-term pregnancy (n = 25) and of those who did not (n = 19) among all women with a history of repetitive abortion and with infertility of unknown origin (RA and INF groups) after the probiotic intervention with L. salivarius CECT5713 and vaginal parameters of fertile women (Control group; n = 14).
| Probiotic Intervention Resulted in Pregnancy | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vaginal Parameter | Control (n = 14) Mean (95% CI) |
Yes (n = 25) Mean (95% CI) |
No (n = 23) Mean (95% CI) |
p-Value |
| pH | 4.53 (4.38–4.68) a | 4.48 (4.39–4.58) a | 5.78 (5.62–5.95) b | 0.000 1 |
| Nugent score | 1.79 (1.27–2.30) a | 2.36 (1.92–2.80) a | 5.84 (5.35–6.33) b | 0.000 1 |
| TGF-β 1, pg/mL | 4.83 (4.65–5.01) a | 4.36 (4.20–4.52) b | 2.27 (2.06–2.48) c | 0.000 1 |
| TGF-β 2, pg/mL | 3.22 (3.10–3.34) a | 2.88 (2.75–3.01) b | 1.27 (1.15–1.40) c | 0.000 1 |
| VEGF, pg/mL | 406.0 (322.0–490.0) a | 755.0 (637.1–872.5) b | 103.3 (82.4–124.1) c | 0.000 1 |
| Lactobacilli | ||||
| Positive women, n (%) | 14 (100) | 25 (100) | 10 (43) | <0.001 2 |
| Viable counts 3, log10 CFU/mL | 7.24 (6.89–7.60) a | 6.47 (6.22–6.72) b | 4.87 (3.83–5.90) c | 0.000 1 |
1 One-way ANOVA tests were used to evaluate differences in mean values between groups. Values followed by different superscript letters within the same row indicate statistically significant differences between groups according to Scheffé post hoc comparison tests. 2 Freeman–Halton extension of the Fisher exact probability tests for a 2 × 3 contingency table were used to compute the (two-tailed) probability of obtaining a distribution of values of lactobacilli positive women. 3 Mean (95% CI) of L. salivarius qPCR (copies/mL) in lactobacilli-positive women. TGF-β 1, transforming growth factor-β 1; TGF-β 2, transforming growth factor-β 2; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor.