title: Clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of patients with tubo-ovarian abscess at a tertiary care hospital in Northern Taiwan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Controversy exists regarding the need for surgical intervention in patients with tubo-ovarian abscess (TOA). This study was aimed at investigating the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes in patients with TOA at a tertiary care hospital in Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  The medical records of 83 patients who presented at the hospital with TOA between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2007, were retrospectively reviewed. Outcomes of patients who received medical treatment alone or underwent surgical intervention were analyzed using univariate and logistic regression analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 83 patients with TOA, 13 patients (15.7%) underwent surgical intervention, and 70 patients (84.3%) received medical treatment alone. Significant variables related to surgical treatment in the univariate analysis were length of stay (short vs. long; t = -2.267, p = 0.026), department of admission (emergency room vs. outpatient department; χ(2) = 7.459, p = 0.006), number of live births (nulliparous vs. multiparous; χ(2) = 18.202, p = 0.001), and C-reactive protein (CRP) level (high vs. low; t = -2.250, p = 0.028). Logistic regression analysis performed to determine influential factors for surgical treatment showed that the operation odds ratio of three to four live births versus no live births was 33.995 (p = 0.043) and that of two live births versus no live births was 13.598 (p = 0.026).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with TOA who underwent surgery had a longer duration of hospitalization. Among the patients who underwent surgical intervention, those admitted to the emergency room had higher CRP levels and were more likely to be multiparous.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chien-Feng
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Shin-Yi
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Te-Chu
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Cheng-Chih
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Chang-Pan
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Chun-Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D010049:Ovarian Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012488:Salpingitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D013624:Taiwan; D016896:Treatment Outcome