title: The effect of "breathable" panty liners on the female lower genital tract.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether the use of "breathable" panty liners (BPLs) alters the normal vaginal flora, increases the incidence of bacterial vaginosis and/or vaginal candidiasis, or causes vulvar irritation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized controlled trial assessed the vaginal ecosystem of women without complaints of vaginal discharge. The study group (n=53) wore BPLs for 10-12 hours each day for 75 consecutive days, whereas the control group (n=54) wore only their usual underwear. At each of 6 visits during 3 menstrual cycles, participants underwent gynecologic examination with colposcopic evaluation and pH measurement, in addition to assessment of vaginal microbial flora, intensity of inflammatory processes, and presence of vaginal candidiasis/bacterial vaginosis in Gram-stained smears.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 75 consecutive days of BPL use, 40/44 (90.9%) and 42/44 (95.5%) women reported no complaints of vaginal discharge or vulvar itching/burning, respectively. There was no significant difference between the study group and the control group with regard to positive vaginal fungus cultures (5/44 [11.4%] vs 8/50 [16.0%]; P=0.7848) or bacterial vaginosis (3/44 [6.8%] vs 2/50 [4.0%]; P=0.7974) at the end of the study period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After 75 days of BPL use, there was no significant increase in vulvovaginal candidiasis, bacterial vaginosis, vulvovaginal irritation, or vulvovaginal inflammation.
authors.affiliation: School of Medical Sciences, State University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil. giraldo@unicamp.br
authors.forename: Paulo C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Giraldo
authors.forename: Rose L G
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Amaral
authors.forename: Cássia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Juliato
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eleutério
authors.forename: Eliane
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brolazo
authors.forename: Ana K S
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002181:Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003127:Colposcopy; D005260:Female; D053566:Hygiene Products; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D014626:Vaginal Smears; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014848:Vulvovaginitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D055815:Young Adult