Table 1.
Demographic and behavioral characteristics
| Overall N = 44 |
Controls n = 22 |
Lubricant users n = 22 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, Mean (SD) | 29.8 (6.8) | 30.5 (7.0) | 29.1 (6.8) |
| Race | |||
| African American | 28 (63.6) | 14 (63.6) | 14 (63.6) |
| White | 14 (31.8) | 7 (31.8) | 7 (31.8) |
| Latina | 2 (4.6) | 1 (4.6) | 1 (4.6) |
| Douching frequency last 60 days | |||
| None | 32 (72.7) | 15 (68.2) | 17 (77.3) |
| Monthly | 3 (6.8) | 3 (13.6) | 0 (0.0) |
| Every now and then | 3 (6.8) | 1 (4.6) | 2 (9.1) |
| No answer | 6 (13.6) | 3 (13.6) | 3 (13.6) |
| Vaginal Lubricant use last 60 days (Y)* | 11 (25.6) | 2 (9.1) | 9 (42.9) |
| Current HC use (Y) | 11 (25.0) | 5 (22.7) | 6 (27.3) |
| Number sex partners last 60 days | |||
| 0 | 3 (6.8) | 2 (9.1) | 1 (4.6) |
| 1 | 37 (84.1) | 19 (86.4) | 18 (81.8) |
| 2 | 4 (9.1) | 1 (4.6) | 3 (13.6) |
| Pre-exposure sample pH* | |||
| 4.0–4.5 | 25 (58.1) | 12 (54.6) | 13 (61.9) |
| 4.6–5.0 | 10 (23.3) | 6 (27.3) | 4 (19.1) |
| > 5.0 | 8 (18.6) | 4 (18.2) | 4 (19.1) |
| Pre-exposure sample Nugent category | |||
| No BV | 23 (52.3) | 13 (59.1) | 10 (45.5) |
| Intermediate | 8 (18.2) | 2 (9.1) | 6 (27.7) |
| BV | 13 (29.6) | 7 (31.8) | 6 (27.7) |
| Pre-exposure sample CST** | |||
| CST-I, L. crispatus-dominated | 8 (18.2) | 6 (28.6) | 2 (9.1) |
| CST-II, L. gasseri-dominated | 5 (11.4) | 2 (9.5) | 3 (13.6) |
| CST-III, L. iners-dominated | 14 (31.8) | 5 (23.8) | 9 (40.9) |
| CST-IVA, Low Lactobacillus | 7 (15.9) | 3 (14.3) | 4 (18.2) |
| CST-IVB, Low Lactobacillus | 6 (13.6) | 3 (14.3) | 3 (13.6) |
| CST-IVC, Low Lactobacillus | 2 (4.5) | 1 (4.8) | 1 (4.5) |
| CST-V, L. jensenii-dominated | 1 (2.3) | 1 (4.8) | 0 (0.0) |
| Pre-exposure sample CST** | |||
| CST-I/II/V, L. crispatus/gasseri/jensenii-dominated | 14 (32.6) | 9 (42.9) | 5 (22.7) |
| CST-III, L. iners-dominated | 14 (32.6) | 5 (23.8) | 9 (40.9) |
| CST-IVA/B/C, Low Lactobacillus | 15 (34.9) | 7 (33.3) | 8 (36.4) |
HC: hormonal contraception, CST: community state type. Cases were more likely to report vaginal lubricant use in the last 60 days (p = 0.03). There were no statistically significant differences between cases and controls in terms of age, race, douching, hormonal contraception (HC) use, number of sexual partners or pre-exposure pH, Nugent category, or CST (p > 0.05). *1 case missing data. **1 control missing data