Trial Outcomes & Findings for Examining the Impact of Tampon Use on the Vaginal Microbiota (NCT NCT03346759)

NCT ID: NCT03346759

Last Updated: 2018-08-23

Results Overview

The differences in relative abundance of Lactobacillus species between: the last swab collected during menstrual cycle 1 and the first swab collected, the last swab collected during menstrual cycle 2 and the first swab collected, and the last swab collected during menstrual cycle 3 and the first swab collected. Relative abundance is defined as the proportion of total identified bacteria in a sample that are a given type of bacteria. The Lactobacillus species included here are L. crispatus, L. iners, L. gasseri, and L. jensenii. Thus, a relative abundance of Lactobacillus species equal to 0.9 would mean that 90% of the bacteria identified in a sample are Lactobacillus species.

Recruitment status

COMPLETED

Study phase

PHASE4

Target enrollment

28 participants

Primary outcome timeframe

Baseline, end of first menstrual cycle (approximately 6 weeks), end of second menstrual cycle (approximately 10 weeks), and end of third menstrual cycle (approximately 14 weeks)

Results posted on

2018-08-23

Participant Flow

Participant milestones

Participant milestones
Measure
Tampon A First
Subjects were provided with 24 Tampax Pearl Regular Tampons (tampon A) to use exclusively for the first of two consecutive menstrual cycles. Subjects were then provided with 24 Playtex Gentle Glide 360 Regular Tampons (tampon B) to use exclusively for the second of two consecutive menstrual cycles. For the third menstrual cycle, subject used tampons of their choosing.
Tampon B First
Subjects were provided with 24 Playtex Gentle Glide 360 Regular Tampons (tampon B) to use exclusively for the first of two consecutive menstrual cycles. Subjects were then provided with 24 Tampax Pearl Regular Tampons (tampon A) to use exclusively for the second of two consecutive menstrual cycles. For the third menstrual cycle, subject used tampons of their choosing.
Enrollment to Baseline Data Collected
STARTED
15
13
Enrollment to Baseline Data Collected
COMPLETED
13
10
Enrollment to Baseline Data Collected
NOT COMPLETED
2
3
First Menstrual Cycle
STARTED
13
10
First Menstrual Cycle
COMPLETED
12
10
First Menstrual Cycle
NOT COMPLETED
1
0
Second Menstrual Cycle
STARTED
12
10
Second Menstrual Cycle
COMPLETED
11
10
Second Menstrual Cycle
NOT COMPLETED
1
0
Third Menstrual Cycle
STARTED
11
10
Third Menstrual Cycle
COMPLETED
11
10
Third Menstrual Cycle
NOT COMPLETED
0
0

Reasons for withdrawal

Reasons for withdrawal
Measure
Tampon A First
Subjects were provided with 24 Tampax Pearl Regular Tampons (tampon A) to use exclusively for the first of two consecutive menstrual cycles. Subjects were then provided with 24 Playtex Gentle Glide 360 Regular Tampons (tampon B) to use exclusively for the second of two consecutive menstrual cycles. For the third menstrual cycle, subject used tampons of their choosing.
Tampon B First
Subjects were provided with 24 Playtex Gentle Glide 360 Regular Tampons (tampon B) to use exclusively for the first of two consecutive menstrual cycles. Subjects were then provided with 24 Tampax Pearl Regular Tampons (tampon A) to use exclusively for the second of two consecutive menstrual cycles. For the third menstrual cycle, subject used tampons of their choosing.
Enrollment to Baseline Data Collected
Lost to Follow-up
2
3
First Menstrual Cycle
Withdrawal by Subject
1
0
Second Menstrual Cycle
Lost to Follow-up
1
0

Baseline Characteristics

Examining the Impact of Tampon Use on the Vaginal Microbiota

Baseline characteristics by cohort

Baseline characteristics by cohort
Measure
Tampon A First
n=13 Participants
Subjects were provided with 24 Tampax Pearl Regular Tampons (tampon A) to use exclusively for the first of two consecutive menstrual cycles. Subjects were then provided with 24 Playtex Gentle Glide 360 Regular Tampons (tampon B) to use exclusively for the second of two consecutive menstrual cycles. For the third menstrual cycle, subject used tampons of their choosing.
Tampon B First
n=10 Participants
Subjects were provided with 24 Playtex Gentle Glide 360 Regular Tampons (tampon B) to use exclusively for the first of two consecutive menstrual cycles. Subjects were then provided with 24 Tampax Pearl Regular Tampons (tampon A) to use exclusively for the second of two consecutive menstrual cycles. For the third menstrual cycle, subject used tampons of their choosing.
Total
n=23 Participants
Total of all reporting groups
Age, Continuous
27.6 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 5.0 • n=5 Participants
24.3 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 4.0 • n=7 Participants
26.1 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 4.9 • n=5 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
13 Participants
n=5 Participants
10 Participants
n=7 Participants
23 Participants
n=5 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
0 Participants
n=7 Participants
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Non-Hispanic white
10 Participants
n=5 Participants
8 Participants
n=7 Participants
18 Participants
n=5 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Asian
1 Participants
n=5 Participants
0 Participants
n=7 Participants
1 Participants
n=5 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Hispanic
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
2 Participants
n=7 Participants
2 Participants
n=5 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Black
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
0 Participants
n=7 Participants
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Other
2 Participants
n=5 Participants
0 Participants
n=7 Participants
2 Participants
n=5 Participants
Relative abundance of Lactobacillus species
.9667 relative abundance
n=5 Participants
.9727 relative abundance
n=7 Participants
.9705 relative abundance
n=5 Participants
Relative abundance of Gardnerella vaginalis
.000091 relative abundance
n=5 Participants
.000019 relative abundance
n=7 Participants
.000045 relative abundance
n=5 Participants

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: Baseline, end of first menstrual cycle (approximately 6 weeks), end of second menstrual cycle (approximately 10 weeks), and end of third menstrual cycle (approximately 14 weeks)

Population: Participants analyzed are those that provided samples through the end of the given menstrual cycle.

The differences in relative abundance of Lactobacillus species between: the last swab collected during menstrual cycle 1 and the first swab collected, the last swab collected during menstrual cycle 2 and the first swab collected, and the last swab collected during menstrual cycle 3 and the first swab collected. Relative abundance is defined as the proportion of total identified bacteria in a sample that are a given type of bacteria. The Lactobacillus species included here are L. crispatus, L. iners, L. gasseri, and L. jensenii. Thus, a relative abundance of Lactobacillus species equal to 0.9 would mean that 90% of the bacteria identified in a sample are Lactobacillus species.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Tampon A First
n=12 Participants
Subjects were provided with 24 Tampax Pearl Regular Tampons (tampon A) to use exclusively for the first of two consecutive menstrual cycles. Subjects were then provided with 24 Playtex Gentle Glide 360 Regular Tampons (tampon B) to use exclusively for the second of two consecutive menstrual cycles. For the third menstrual cycle, subject used tampons of their choosing.
Tampon B First
n=10 Participants
Subjects were provided with 24 Playtex Gentle Glide 360 Regular Tampons (tampon B) to use exclusively for the first of two consecutive menstrual cycles. Subjects were then provided with 24 Tampax Pearl Regular Tampons (tampon A) to use exclusively for the second of two consecutive menstrual cycles. For the third menstrual cycle, subject used tampons of their choosing.
Change in Relative Abundance of Lactobacillus Species
Baseline to end of first cycle
.0084 relative abundance
Interval -0.0017 to 0.0274
-.0014 relative abundance
Interval -0.0148 to 0.0242
Change in Relative Abundance of Lactobacillus Species
Baseline to end of second cycle
-.00004 relative abundance
Interval -0.0121 to 0.0368
.0104 relative abundance
Interval -0.0346 to 0.0354
Change in Relative Abundance of Lactobacillus Species
Baseline to end of third menstrual cycle
-.0350 relative abundance
Interval -0.1723 to 0.0304
.0238 relative abundance
Interval 0.0107 to 0.0349

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: Baseline, end of first menstrual cycle (approximately 6 weeks), end of second menstrual cycle (approximately 10 weeks), and end of third menstrual cycle (approximately 14 weeks)

Population: Participants analyzed are those that provided samples through the end of the given menstrual cycle.

The differences in relative abundance of Gardnerella vaginalis between: the last swab collected during menstrual cycle 1 and the first swab collected, the last swab collected during menstrual cycle 2 and the first swab collected, and the last swab collected during menstrual cycle 3 and the first swab collected. Relative abundance is defined as the proportion of total identified bacteria in a sample that are a given type of bacteria. Thus, a relative abundance of Gardnerella vaginalis equal to 0.9 would mean that 90% of the bacteria identified in a sample are Gardnerella vaginalis.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Tampon A First
n=12 Participants
Subjects were provided with 24 Tampax Pearl Regular Tampons (tampon A) to use exclusively for the first of two consecutive menstrual cycles. Subjects were then provided with 24 Playtex Gentle Glide 360 Regular Tampons (tampon B) to use exclusively for the second of two consecutive menstrual cycles. For the third menstrual cycle, subject used tampons of their choosing.
Tampon B First
n=10 Participants
Subjects were provided with 24 Playtex Gentle Glide 360 Regular Tampons (tampon B) to use exclusively for the first of two consecutive menstrual cycles. Subjects were then provided with 24 Tampax Pearl Regular Tampons (tampon A) to use exclusively for the second of two consecutive menstrual cycles. For the third menstrual cycle, subject used tampons of their choosing.
Change in Relative Abundance of Gardnerella Vaginalis
Baseline to 14 weeks
-.000045 relative abundance
Interval -0.004297 to 0.00003
0 relative abundance
Interval -0.000124 to 0.000075
Change in Relative Abundance of Gardnerella Vaginalis
Baseline to end of first cycle
.000046 relative abundance
Interval -0.000303 to 0.00423
0 relative abundance
Interval -0.000124 to 0.0
Change in Relative Abundance of Gardnerella Vaginalis
Baseline to end of second cycle
-.000045 relative abundance
Interval -0.000788 to 0.00162
0 relative abundance
Interval -0.000115 to 0.0

Adverse Events

Tampon A

Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 0 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths

Tampon B

Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 0 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths

Tampon of Choice (Third Period)

Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 0 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths

Serious adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Other adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Additional Information

Jason Bell, MD

University of Michigan

Phone: 7342323897

Results disclosure agreements

  • Principal investigator is a sponsor employee
  • Publication restrictions are in place