Cytological aspects of the nasal respiratory epithelium in reproductive-age women taking oral contraceptives.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effects of monophasic oral contraceptives on the nasal respiratory epithelium in premenopausal women.


METHODS
Prospective open clinical trial.


METHODS
Outpatient Family Planning Centre.


METHODS
Eighty-eight premenopausal women, with ovulatory cycle, who were planning to take oral contraceptives.


METHODS
Baseline endovaginal ultrasound examination and blood test to measure serum progesterone to confirm ovulatory cycle. Thirty-eight women on pill containing 30 microg ethinylestradiol (EE) plus 75 microg gestodene, and 35 women on pill containing 15 microg ethinylestradiol plus 60 microg gestodene. MAIN OUTCOMES/MEASURE(S): Cytological changes on the nasal respiratory epithelium evaluated with the maturation index performed during the follicular, periovular, and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle, and on the sixth cycle of pill intake.


RESULTS
Hematoxylin-eosin staining for the maturation index showed similar trophic cytological aspects between the nasal and vaginal epithelium during the menstrual cycle and pill usage. Both the nasal and vaginal cytological samples showed higher maturation indexes during both the follicular and the periovular phases than during the luteal phase. Women on pill containing 15 microg EE showed lower trophic aspects in the nasal cytological samples compared with those on pill with 30 microg EE.


CONCLUSIONS
Along with the vaginal cells, the nasal respiratory epithelium is an ovarian steroid target. The maturation index of the nasal respiratory epithelium seems to depend on the variation of the ovarian steroids during the menstrual cycle and on the iatrogenic effects of oral contraceptives.
Caruso
Salvatore
S
School of Medicine, University of Catania, Italy. scaruso@unict.it
Serra
Agostino
A
Maiolino
Luigi
L
Agnello
Carmela
C
Di Mari
Lucia
L
Ruta
Sara
S
Arcidiacono
Angelo
A
Cianci
Antonio
A
D000328:Adult; D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology*; D009652:Norpregnenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014621:Vagina / Q000166:cytology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears
D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined; D009652:Norpregnenes; C033273:Gestodene; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol