title: Non-volatile fatty acids in the diagnosis of non-specific vaginitis.
abstract: In the vaginal washings of 100 women with symptomatic non-specific vaginitis a succinate/lactate ratio of greater than or equal to 0.4 had a diagnostic sensitivity of 80%, a specificity of 83% for this condition. The predictive value of a positive test was 94%, but that of a negative test was only 55%. A strong association between the presence of Gardnerella vaginalis, anaerobes, a vaginal pH of above 4.5, and amines was found not only in non-specific vaginitis, but also in trichomonal and gonococcal infection. A variety of primary changes may encourage the multiplication of both gardnerellae and anaerobes and their presence in non-specific vaginitis may be a secondary rather than a primary event.
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006194:Gardnerella vaginalis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007773:Lactates / Q000032:analysis; D013386:Succinates / Q000032:analysis; D014621:Vagina / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D014627:Vaginitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D007773:Lactates; D013386:Succinates