title: Adequacy of cervical cytology sampling with the Cervex brush and the Aylesbury spatula: a population based randomised controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the adequacy of cervical cytology sampling with two sampling instruments commonly used in primary care-namely, the Aylesbury spatula and the Cervex brush.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pair matched, population based randomised controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  86 general practices and family planning clinics in Greater Manchester.
  
  
  METHODS
  15 882 cervical smears taken from women aged 20-64 years as part of the national cervical screening programme.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participating centres were allocated to sample with either the Cervex brush or the Aylesbury spatula.
  
  
  METHODS
  Inadequate smear rate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  5.4% and 5.5% (433/8086 and 426/7796) of smears taken with the Cervex brush and the Aylesbury spatula respectively were reported as inadequate (odds ratio 0.95; 95% confidence interval 0.74 to 1.22).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Cervex brush offers no advantage over the Aylesbury spatula in reducing inadequate smear rates in the primary care setting.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cancer Epidemiology, University of Manchester.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dey
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Desai
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Woodman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards; D008875:Middle Aged; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000592:standards*