Impact of prolonged referral interval on colposcopic outcomes in women with moderate or severe dysplasia.
OBJECTIVE
To ascertain the impact of long referral to first colposcopy interval on disease outcome in women with high-grade cervical smear tests.


METHODS
Data from 316 women categorized into Group 1 (seen 180 days after referral) and Group 2 (seen within 180 days of referral) were analyzed using chi2 test with Yates correction. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated.


RESULTS
Women in Group 1 were less likely to need treatment (33.8% [25/74] vs 55.8% [135/242]; OR=0.45; 95% CI, 0.25-0.78; P=0.0004) and less likely to have high-grade disease (24.3% [18/74] vs 45.9% [111/242]); OR=0.37; 95% CI, 0.21-0.68; P=0.001) than women in Group 2. There was no significant difference between the groups in proportion of women with invasive disease.


CONCLUSIONS
In women with high-grade smears the need for excisional treatment and the risk of invasive disease may be reduced by prolonged referral interval.
Fakokunde
Biodun
B
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, North Middlesex University Hospital, London, UK.
Selo-Ojeme
Dan
D
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003127:Colposcopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D014626:Vaginal Smears