Mucosal cytology in the determination of the pubertal status in girls.
OBJECTIVE
To assess and validate the diagnostic value of buccal and vaginal smears in the ambulatory care of girls with potential disorders of puberty.


METHODS
Smears were obtained from 77 girls who presented for assessment of their pubertal status, stained as described by Papanicolaou, examined for signs of estrogenization according to the method of Schmitt, and compared with the clinical status.


RESULTS
Vaginal but not buccal smears reflect accurately the changes of sexual maturation, even more sensitive than single serum hormone measurements.


CONCLUSIONS
Vaginal smears represent a valid, reproducible, and well-tolerated diagnostic tool in the ambulatory care of peripubertal girls to identify their estrogen status with high sensitivity and specificity. The decision to perform confirmative but invasive diagnostic procedures can be based on auxology, physical examination, bone age determination, and analysis of vaginal smears.
Schmidt
Fabian
F
Division of Metabolic and Endocrine Diseases, University Children's Hospital, Ruprecht Karls University, Heidelberg, Germany.
Grulich-Henn
Jürgen
J
Heinrich
Udo E
UE
Bettendorf
Markus
M
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004967:Estrogens / Q000502:physiology*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000166:cytology; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000166:cytology; D010050:Ovarian Function Tests / Q000379:methods*; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D011627:Puberty / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014621:Vagina / Q000166:cytology; D014626:Vaginal Smears
D004967:Estrogens