Composition of cervical smears in patients with and without a cervical ectropion.
OBJECTIVE
To test the hypothesis that absence of squamous cells in cervical smears obtained by an endocervical sampling technique is more prominent in patients with a cervical ectropion.


METHODS
Prospective study exploring the relation between the composition of cervical smears obtained using an endocervical cotton swab in patients with (n = 188) and without (n = 341) a cervical ectropion. Subjects were 529 consecutive patients from whom a cervical smear was prepared at a university gynaecological clinic.


RESULTS
In 7% of the endocervical samples no squamous cells were found. There was no correlation, however, between the presence or the size of an ectropion and the absence of squamous cells in those samples.


CONCLUSIONS
It was confirmed that endocervical sampling alone is insufficient to obtain good quality cervical smears. The presence of an ectropion proved to be an unreliable predictor of the absence of squamous cells.
Buntinx
F
F
Department of General Practice, University of Limburg, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Essed
G G
GG
Van der Putten
H W
HW
Buchholz
R F
RF
Arends
J W
JW
Knottnerus
J A
JA
D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D002577:Uterine Cervical Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards