Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)

Researchers are evaluating the efficacy and safety of Jincaopian Tablets for treating chronic pelvic pain in women who have had pelvic inflammatory disease. This phase III clinical trial aims to address the significant burden of chronic pelvic pain, a common complication following pelvic inflammatory disease, by comparing Jincaopian Tablets to a placebo in a well-controlled study environment. Participants are randomly assigned in a 2:1 ratio to receive either Jincaopian Tablets or a placebo. Those in the Jincaopian group take 0.6 grams daily for 12 weeks, while the placebo group receives an identical regimen. After completing the treatment period, all participants enter a 4-week follow-up period to assess ongoing effects. During the study, researchers will monitor pain disappearance rates at 12 weeks as the primary outcome. Secondary measures include pain scores over time, quality of life assessments, and evaluations of physical signs related to pain. Safety is closely monitored through reports of adverse events. Participants will be regularly assessed throughout the 16-week total study duration to understand treatment impact and safety.

This observational study aims to understand how force feedback instruments are useful during surgeries performed with the da Vinci 5 robotic system. It focuses on procedures such as inguinal and ventral hernia repairs, colorectal, thoracic, gynecologic surgeries, and partial nephrectomy. The study is designed to gather information on how these instruments perform during robotic-assisted surgery. Participants will undergo multi-port robotic-assisted surgery using the da Vinci 5 system equipped with force feedback instruments, which provide tactile sensations. The study observes surgeries planned as primary procedures with these instruments, without altering the treatment. There is no experimental drug or placebo involved, as this is an observational study conducted after the devices have been marketed. During the study, researchers will measure the force applied to tissues by the force feedback instruments during surgery and evaluate how useful these instruments are during specific steps of the procedure before patient discharge. Participants will be followed up as per the study protocol to ensure data quality. The total participation time varies depending on the surgical procedure and follow-up schedule.

Researchers are evaluating whether acupuncture, specifically the Dragon's protocol, can help reduce chronic pelvic pain in women aged 21 to 65. This study focuses on non-endometriosis pelvic pain and includes women both with and without a history of sexual assault. The Dragon's protocol acupuncture aims to address both physical pain and emotional trauma by combining external and internal acupuncture treatments to reprocess traumatic memories and potentially calm the nervous system. Participants will first undergo 4 weeks of standard pain care such as physical therapy, psychotherapy, or usual medical management. Then, the same women will receive acupuncture treatments once weekly for 4 weeks using the Dragon's protocol. The acupuncture involves placing needles on both the back (external dragons) and front (internal dragons) of the body during each session, aiming to balance traumatic memories and pain responses. Throughout the study, participants will complete pain assessments using the Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale (DVPRS) and the Female Genitourinary Pain Index (GUPI) at multiple visits from week 0 to week 11. Women with a history of sexual trauma will also complete the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) to evaluate changes in PTSD symptoms. Visits include screening, baseline, weekly acupuncture sessions, and follow-ups, some of which may be virtual. Researchers will monitor pain levels and quality of life to understand the impact of the acupuncture treatment.

Researchers are evaluating the effectiveness of acupuncture as part of a combined treatment approach for women experiencing vulvodynia and chronic pelvic pain (CPP), which are common and difficult gynecologic pain conditions. This randomized controlled clinical study aims to compare acupuncture with a waiting list control group to better understand its impact on pain and quality of life. Participants will be randomly assigned to either receive acupuncture treatment or be placed on a waiting list. The acupuncture involves a defined protocol of body and ear acupuncture, using needles stimulated manually and left in place for 20 minutes. Body acupuncture targets specific points on the lower abdomen, back, extremities, and head, while ear acupuncture includes points related to the sympathetic system and genital area. Those in the waiting list group may continue their current standard therapy but cannot start new treatments or acupuncture during the first three months. After this period, they are offered a course of acupuncture treatments over three months. During the study, participants will be assessed at 3 and 6 months for changes in subjective pain perception and health-related quality of life using various questionnaires. Additional measures include subjective improvement and treatment satisfaction evaluated at 3 months. The study monitors outcomes related to pain and quality of life, with total participation lasting at least 6 months. Safety and patient well-being are maintained throughout the trial period.

Researchers are evaluating the effects of school-based life skills training, with and without digital literacy training, on adolescent girls in secondary schools in Nigeria. This study aims to understand how these programs influence school performance, retention, socio-emotional and digital skills, health, marriage, fertility, and work outcomes. The study uses a cluster randomized controlled trial design involving girls aged 15 to 20 in three Nigerian states: Kaduna, Katsina, and Kano. Participants are divided into three groups: one group receives a 12-month safe space-based life skills training covering negotiation, communication, sexual and reproductive health, gender-based violence, and climate change; another group receives the same life skills training plus a digital literacy program including word processing, database management, online marketing, online safety, and programming; a third group receives no training during the study. The interventions are delivered within schools, and the trial runs from baseline through midline and endline surveys. Participants will complete surveys before the interventions, six months after intervention completion, and again two years later. These surveys include interviews with the girls and their caregivers to assess outcomes like school graduation, retention, marriage, income activities, digital financial literacy, socio-emotional skills, and many other educational, economic, and health-related measures. The study involves 8,463 girls from 273 schools, with ongoing monitoring to evaluate the impact of these training programs.

This research aims to improve the use of HIV, STI, and HCV prevention and care services among racially and ethnically diverse gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) and transgender women living in rural Appalachia. By combining peer navigation with mobile health (mHealth) strategies, the study seeks to reduce health disparities in these vulnerable populations and inform public health practices and policies. Participants will be assigned to one of two groups: an intervention group receiving a culturally compatible, bilingual approach that includes peer navigation and mHealth communication, or a delayed-intervention group. Community health leaders will raise awareness, support service access, and conduct in-person group sessions over 12 months. They will also use social media and apps to communicate and support participants throughout the intervention. During the study, researchers will track HIV, STI, and HCV testing rates at baseline, immediately after the 12-month intervention, and again 12 months later. They will also monitor the use of prevention methods like PrEP, syringe services, and gender-affirming care. Participants will be involved in group activities, receive ongoing support via mHealth platforms, and have their service use regularly assessed to measure the intervention's impact through 24 months from baseline.

Researchers are studying how daily changes in mood, pain, and activity relate to acute and chronic pain using a smartphone app called SOMA. The study includes people with acute pain, chronic pain, and healthy controls. A smaller sub-study focuses on patients with chronic low back pain, failed back surgery syndrome, or fibromyalgia, using EEG testing to explore brain and behavior patterns that might predict treatment responses. Participants will use the SOMA app daily for four months to track their symptoms and activities. Those in the sub-study will also attend an in-person EEG session to perform specific tasks before starting app use. Data collected will help identify patterns linked to pain transition, recovery, or flare-ups. The study also monitors app engagement and symptom dynamics over up to 12 months. During the study, participants will report pain, mood, and activity daily through the app. Researchers will analyze these reports alongside baseline and follow-up EEG and behavioral tests. Outcomes include measuring the likelihood of acute pain becoming chronic and understanding mood and pain interactions. Participants' progress and app usage will be observed over time to assess feasibility and treatment effects.

Researchers are evaluating a multisectoral agricultural intervention called Shamba Maisha aimed at improving reproductive and sexual health among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) aged 15-19 in Kisumu and Migori counties of Western Kenya. This region has high rates of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), along with widespread food insecurity and poverty, which contribute to vulnerability to these infections. The study focuses on reducing the incidence of gonorrhea and chlamydia and improving related health outcomes by addressing household food security and adolescent-caregiver relationships. The Shamba Maisha intervention includes providing families with water pumps, seeds, and farming tools, along with training on agricultural techniques delivered at both home and school demonstration farms. Girls will engage in practical farming activities at school, which also benefits the wider school community. Additionally, families participate in sessions to strengthen communication and reduce stress between caregivers and adolescents, including discussions on sexual health. Control group participants will have the chance to receive the full intervention after the study concludes. Participants will be followed for 18 months, with data collected through surveys and testing for STIs and pregnancy at four time points: baseline, 6, 12, and 18 months. Researchers will measure outcomes such as STI incidence, household food insecurity, adolescent and caregiver mental health, body mass index, condom use, intimate partner violence, empowerment, and educational attainment. The study will also assess factors affecting implementation and costs, aiming to inform sustainable strategies to reduce food insecurity and improve HIV prevention among vulnerable youth.

Researchers are evaluating the impact of Transvaginal Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery (vNOTES) compared to conventional abdominal laparoscopy (CAL) for benign adnexal surgery in women aged 18 to 70. The study aims to confirm that vNOTES does not negatively affect women's sexual function after surgery, addressing concerns about vaginal scarring and its effects on sexual activity. Secondary goals include assessing vNOTES efficiency, complications, and the quality of histological analysis of surgical specimens. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either the vNOTES or CAL surgical technique for procedures such as cystectomy, oophorectomy, salpingectomy, or tubal sterilization. Both approaches involve minimally invasive surgery, with vNOTES using the vaginal route and CAL using abdominal laparoscopy. The study also examines pain, hospital stay length, patient satisfaction, and surgical complications during and up to 30 days after surgery. Women in the study will complete questionnaires before surgery and at 3 and 6 months afterward to assess sexual function, couple satisfaction, and pain during sex. Medical and general data will be collected at enrollment, during hospitalization, and one month post-surgery. The main outcomes measured include quality of sexual life and postoperative recovery, while monitoring safety and the effectiveness of both surgical methods throughout the study period.

Researchers are evaluating the safety and feasibility of a personalized adaptive pudendal neuromodulation system called Picostim II for women experiencing mixed urinary incontinence and related conditions. This exploratory study focuses on women aged 22 years and older who have not responded to or tolerated conservative treatments for urinary incontinence symptoms lasting at least six months. The study includes participants with mixed urinary incontinence and those with extended indications such as stress urinary incontinence, urge urinary incontinence, and chronic pelvic pain. All participants will receive the Amber UI system, an implanted device designed to provide pudendal neuromodulation. The study involves two groups: one with mixed urinary incontinence and another with extended indications. The device is implanted and personalized to each participant's needs, with follow-up and monitoring scheduled over 12 months. Researchers will observe procedural and device-related safety, device deficiencies, and the need for any surgical reintervention during this period. Participants will undergo various assessments including changes in urinary distress, frequency of urinary events, pad test weight, quality of life, anxiety, and health questionnaires over the course of 12 months. The primary safety outcomes focus on adverse events related to the procedure and device. Follow-up visits will help track the device's use, participant adherence, and overall health status. The total study duration for each participant includes baseline evaluation and monitoring over a year after implantation.