Role of chlamydia antibody by using microimmunofluorescence in detection of tubal disease in infertile females

Abstract

ObjectivesThe present study was conducted to assess the ability of the chlamydia antibody test (CAT) in the detection of tubal disease. MethodsSixty women participated in the current study. They were investigated by using hysterosalpingography (HSG), followed by the CAT and laparoscopy. ResultsThe diagnostic accuracy of HSG was 70%, with sensitivity of 85%, specificity of 59%, positive predictive value of 61%, and negative predictive value of 83%. The CAT showed a diagnostic accuracy of 88%, sensitivity of 96%, specificity of 82%, positive predictive value of 81%, and negative predictive value of 97%. There was a substantial agreement between the results of CAT and HSG in the assessment of tubal disease with a &kgr; value of 0.631. As regards the type of infertility, CAT was found to be more positive with secondary than primary infertility. ConclusionThe CAT is a good method for the detection of tubal patency in an outpatient setting.