Expression and significance of neutrophil extracellular traps in patients with Candida vaginitis

Objective To study the difference of extracellular traps (NETs) between VVC and RVVC and whether the amount of NETs would have influence on the cure time of VVC. Methods This study was conducted between January, 2016 and October, 2016 on women suffering from Candida vaginitis at Hangzhou Maternity Hospital. Total 193 patients were recruited, including 120 VVC and 73 RVVC. Results NETs were found in all samples. The grade of NETs were rated as +, ++ and +++. In the group of VVC, 41 samples were rated as +, 60 samples were rated as ++ and 19 were rated as +++ before treatment. In the group of RVVC, 50 samples were rated as +, 20 samples were rated as ++ and 3 were rated as +++. The NETs formation in VVC group was stronger than that in RVVC group, the difference was statistically significant (Z=-9.732, P<0.05). The VVC group patients came back to hospital 7 days after treatment, 30 cases of Candida turned negative among NETs + patients, negative rate is 73.17% (30/41), 56 cases of Candida turned negative among NETs ++ patients, negative rate is 93.33% (56/60), 18 cases of Candida turned negative among NETs +++ patients, negative rate is 94.73% (18/19), the negative rate in NETs ++, +++ patients was higher than that in NETs+ patients, the difference was statistically significant (χ²=6.317 and 6.774, P<0.05). Conclusion Our results indicated that NETs were involved in the immune response in Candida vaginitis. The responses to antifungal therapy showed a close correlation between the cure time and the degree of NETs formation in Candida vaginitis.