Methods
A prospective study enrolling twenty consecutive women requesting an IUCD insertion was conducted at an outpatient Gynecology unit. Prior to the insertion of an IUCD, participants were screened for sexually transmitted infections (Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhea) and bacterial vaginosis, followed by collection of an additional cervico-vaginal swab for cytokine analysis. At the follow up visit approximately four weeks later, both the infectious screen and cytokine analysis were repeated. Cytokines and chemokines levels were measured using two 7-plex electrochemiluminescent base ELISA kits (Meso Scale Discovery, MSD). The biomarker panels included GM-CSF, IL-1a, IL-8, MCP-1, MIG, MIP-3a, RANTES, IL-10, IL-17, IL-1b, IL-6, IP-10, MIP-1b and TNF-a. The levels of the biomarkers were determined using standard curves (pg/ml). Wilcoxon matched-paired analyses were used to determine the changes between two intra-individual samples.
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