title: Colposcopy, colpocytology and the vaginal ecosystem. Oncological, bacteriological and hormonal evaluation in a series of 400 women.
abstract: The Authors retrospectively considered colpocytological and colposcopic findings in a series of 400 women, aged 16 to 83 years, presenting for the first time at the Oncological Gynaecology Unit of the Institute of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Padua University between 1991 and 1992. In addition to oncological evaluation, the bacteriological profile and hormone status of cytological samples were formulated in all cases. The most common oncological finding was a cell morphology within normal limits (67%), followed by reactive and reparative changes (19%) and low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL, 12%). Histological findings correlated well with the cytological diagnosis, though low-grade SIL was over-estimated. As for the bacteriological profile, a mixed flora was most frequent (56.7%) followed, especially in fertile age, by Döderlein's bacillus (20%) and vaginosis (15.5%). Colposcopy most frequently revealed ectopia and/or a normal transformation zone (50.7%) and dystrophic mucosa (21%). An abnormal transformation zone was more common among women with a moderate-to-abundant flora. Fifteen male partners were also checked: cellular changes typical of human papilloma virus infection were found in 40% and colposcopic findings compatible with said virus were observed in 26.6% of cases. These results confirm that colpocytology provides a complete and simultaneous evaluation not only of cell morphology, but also of the bacterial population and hormones in the vaginal ecosystem. It is therefore the method of choice in screening for cervical and vaginal neoplasms and an effective means for simultaneously evaluating vaginal flora and hormone status.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, University of Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Torrisi
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Onnis
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Minucci
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000473:pathology*; D003127:Colposcopy; D003581:Cytodiagnosis; D017753:Ecosystem; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D014621:Vagina / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D014625:Vaginal Neoplasms / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology