Predictors of genital warts among women attending two family planning clinics

Objectives: To establish the prevalence and predictors of genital warts among healthy women presenting for contraceptive advice at two family planning clinics, one in a major Australian city and one in a country town in the same state. Methods: Consecutive consenting attendees (n = 1218)at two family planning clinics in Queensland completed a questionnaire and were examined for genital warts. Results: The point prevalence of visible genital warts was 3.3 per cent in the city clinic and 14.4 per cent in the country town. For half of these clients a finding of warts was unexpected, in that the client was unaware of their presence and presentation to the family planning clinic was not specifically for advice about sexually transmitted infections. The major predictor of a finding of warts was client age, with the highest prevalence in 20- to 25-year-olds. Warts were also commoner amongst smokers in the country town but not in Brisbane. However, no analysed sociodemographic variable predicted a finding of warts of which the client was not aware. Conclusions: Genital warts are common among young women presenting for contraceptive advice. Such women are often unaware that they have warts. Examination for genital warts should be a part of any routine examination of sexually active women, and medical practitioners should be aware of appropriate advice for patients who are found to have genital warts on routine examination

Motion Analysis of an Eccentric Step Test Performed by 100 Healthy Subjects

Purpose This work forms part of a larger study investigating outcome measures suitable for patients with patellofemoral problems. The current study investigated the normal inter-subject variation of two kinematic variables during an eccentric step test. These were the knee joint angle at which subjects lost control of the movement (critical angle) and the angular velocity of the knee. Methods One hundred healthy subjects were recruited. The sample consisted of 69 females and 31 males. The length of each volunteer's right tibia was measured, to determine the height of the step, which was adjusted to 50% of the length of the tibia. This was to standardise the height of the step against the anthropometric differences between members of the study group. Subjects were videoed while performing two eccentric step tests, one with the dominant and one with the non-dominant leg. Video data were analysed using a two-dimensional motion analysis system. Results The mean critical angle (CA) for 200 healthy knees was 61.3¼and the mean angular velocity for knee flexion at the instant of contralateral heel strike was 54.9¼ per second. There were statistically significant sex and limb dominance differences for CA but not for velocity measurements. There was a significant positive correlation between weight and velocity. Conclusion The inter-subject range of CA and velocity has been established for 100 healthy subjects (200 knees) performing an eccentric step test. These data will be added to those for intra-subject variation, which will enable the interpretation of data from an ongoing clinical trial investigating outcome measures suitable for patients with patellofemoral problems