title: Outcome of women referred to colposcopy for persistently inadequate smears.
abstract: The outcome of referral to colposcopy of 240 women who had persistently inadequate smears was investigated. Of 232 women who attended colposcopy, 214 (92.2%) had a normal outcome, 12 (5.2%) had low grade abnormalities, and six (2.6%) had high grade abnormalities. This group of women therefore has a negligibly increased risk of harbouring cervical neoplasia. Although not directly comparable, women with a history of previous abnormal cytology did not have a higher risk than those without such a history. Unnecessary colposcopy could have been avoided in the majority of cases if a good quality repeat smear had been taken. Improved smear taker training could decrease the number of referrals. A hospital cytology clinic is proposed as a cost-effective alternative to colposcopy at the first attendance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular Pathology, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sen
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Brett
mesh_terms: D003127:Colposcopy / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008485:Medical Audit; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D015995:Prevalence; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D013048:Specimen Handling; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D002575:Uterine Cervicitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000191:economics