ArticlePloS one2014
Free glycogen in vaginal fluids is associated with Lactobacillus colonization and low vaginal pH.
Article in PloS one, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06633705 (Investigation of the Effects of Local Estrogen Administration on Vaginal, Periurethral and Urinary Microbiota in Genitourinary Syndrome), which is not on this map. Cited by 148 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Investigation of the Effects of Local Estrogen Administration on Vaginal, Periurethral and Urinary Microbiota in Genitourinary Syndrome
Who cites it
148 citing papers in PubMed, 249 citations in OpenAlex.
- Impact of contraceptive initiation on the cervicovaginal mucosa: results from the UMPALA multicentre, partially randomized patient-preference interventional trial.Frontiers in reproductive health · 2026Trial
- Pregnancy outcomes in pregnant women taking oral probiotic undergoing cerclage compared to placebo: two blinded randomized controlled trial.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2024Trial
- Relationship between vitamin D status and the vaginal microbiome during pregnancy.Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association · 2019Trial
- The cervicovaginal gut microbiota axis as a key determinant of systemic physiology.Gut microbes · 2026Review
- Review
- The role of probiotics in restoring and maintaining vaginal microbiome health: a review.Infection and immunity · 2026Review
- The Impact of the Vaginal Microbiome and Microbial Metabolites on HIV Transmission at the Female Reproductive Tract Epithelial Barrier.American journal of reproductive immunology (New York, N.Y. : 1989) · 2026Review
- Elucidating the Staphylococcus aureus TSST-1 Regulatory Network as a Response to Vaginal pH.Molecular microbiology · 2026Article
- Vaginal microbiomes and their pertinent social context: a microbial ecological review proffering AMR-STI acquisition and emergence.Biology of sex differences · 2026Review
- Vaginal Probiotic Potential of the Nomadic Species Limosilactobacacillus fermentum Under Dysbiotic Vaginal Conditions: Population Genomic Insights and Anti-Pathogenic Efficacy of a Vaginal Isolate VL9.Probiotics and antimicrobial proteins · 2026Article
- Cytokine signalling in vaginal epithelial cells: mechanistic insights into epithelial immunity and inflammatory milieu in vulvovaginal candidiasis.European cytokine network · 2026Review
- Maternal Microbiome in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Mechanisms, Biomarkers, and Therapeutic Perspectives.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Multilayered control of hexose uptake and phosphorylation through specialized sugar kinases in Nakaseomyces glabratus.Fungal biology and biotechnology · 2026Article
- Beyond the Barrier: Epithelial Cells as Immune Sentinels in the Female Genital Tract.American journal of reproductive immunology (New York, N.Y. : 1989) · 2026Review
- Anaerobe-Driven Inflammation and Epithelial Barrier Disruption in Genital HIV Acquisition.American journal of reproductive immunology (New York, N.Y. : 1989) · 2026Review
- Article
- Characterization of the vaginal microbiome and its metabolic potential in Colombian patients with recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis.Medical mycology · 2026Article
- Article
- Interactions betweenInfection and immunity · 2026Article
- The Nugent score is an inappropriate diagnostic tool for neovaginal bacteria in transfeminine people.Communications medicine · 2026Article
88 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
9 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveLactobacillus dominates the lower genital tract microbiota of many women, producing a low vaginal pH, and is important for healthy pregnancy outcomes and protection against several sexually transmitted pathogens. Yet, factors that promote Lactobacillus remain poorly understood. We hypothesized that the amount of free glycogen in the lumen of the lower genital tract is an important determinant of Lactobacillus colonization and a low vaginal pH.
methodsFree glycogen in lavage samples was quantified. Pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene was used to identify microbiota from 21 African American women collected over 8-11 years.
resultsFree glycogen levels varied greatly between women and even in the same woman. Samples with the highest free glycogen had a corresponding median genital pH that was significantly lower (pH 4.4) than those with low glycogen (pH 5.8; p<0.001). The fraction of the microbiota consisting of Lactobacillus was highest in samples with high glycogen versus those with low glycogen (median = 0.97 vs. 0.05, p<0.001). In multivariable analysis, having 1 vs. 0 male sexual partner in the past 6 months was negatively associated, while BMI ≥30 was positively associated with glycogen. High concentrations of glycogen corresponded to higher levels of L. crispatus and L. jensenii, but not L. iners.
conclusionThese findings show that free glycogen in genital fluid is associated with a genital microbiota dominated by Lactobacillus, suggesting glycogen is important for maintaining genital health. Treatments aimed at increasing genital free glycogen might impact Lactobacillus colonization.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.