title: Waiting time and pain during office hysteroscopy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To find a correlation between the waiting time between counseling about and performance of office hysteroscopy and the perception of pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic environment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred eighty-four women undergoing hysteroscopy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diagnostic hysteroscopy with endometrial biopsy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Before examination, patients were asked to complete 2 forms, the STAI-S (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, State) and STAI-T (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Trait) anxiety scales, for evaluation of their usual anxiety state and their state of anxiety during the examination. Patients were asked to quantify on a visual analog scale the pain felt during the examination. A statistically significant positive correlation, even if weak, was demonstrated between pain and waiting time (r = 0.45; p < .01) but not with the values for the anxiety state (r = 0.06; p = .56) and anxiety trait (r = -0.05; p = .66). Pain (≥4) was significantly associated with waiting time (≥60 minutes) (odds ratio [OR], 5.21; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.29-35.50), age (OR, 1.57; 95% CI, 0.40-5.87) and menopause (OR, 2.81; 95% CI, 1.10-7.40) but not with STAI-S level (≥34) (OR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.26-3.12) or STAI-T level (≥34) (OR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.19-2.32).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Office hysteroscopy is associated with a level of anxiety that can affect patient tolerability of the procedure. However, factors such as reducing waiting time may have a positive effect on patient compliance, making hysteroscopy easier and thereby increasing its diagnostic and therapeutic potential.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Department of Surgical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy. gaspare.carta@cc.univaq.it
authors.forename: Gaspare
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carta
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Palermo
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marinangeli
authors.forename: Alba
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Piroli
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Necozione
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: De Lellis
authors.forename: Felice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Patacchiola
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures / Q000523:psychology*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D001706:Biopsy; D004717:Endometrium / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015907:Hysteroscopy / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000523:psychology; D058748:Pain Perception; D013997:Time Factors; D014591:Uterine Diseases / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*