title: Vaginal misoprostol versus vaginal estradiol in overcoming unsatisfactory colposcopy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Unsatisfactory colposcopy, an inability to visualize the entire transformation zone, is found in about 10-20% of the patients undergoing the procedure. These patients usually require conization for a comprehensive evaluation of the cervix. Our study aims to compare the efficacy and safety of vaginal misoprostol versus vaginal estradiol in overcoming unsatisfactory colposcopy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 48 women with unsatisfactory colposcopy. They were randomized into two groups: group I (n = 24) received 200 µg misoprostol vaginally and colposcopy was repeated after 6 h, while the subjects in group II (n = 24) were prescribed a 7-day course of 50 µg estradiol for vaginal insertion followed by a repeat colposcopy. The efficacy and safety of these two drugs were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Repeat colposcopy was satisfactory in 70.8% of the women given vaginal misoprostol compared to 82.6% of the women who used vaginal estradiol. The difference was not statistically significant. The adverse effects were reported more often by the women in the misoprostol group (41.6%) as compared to those in estradiol group (13%) (p = 0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both estradiol and misoprostol were comparable in overcoming unsatisfactory colposcopy. However, a higher incidence of adverse effects was noted with misoprostol as compared to estradiol.
authors.affiliation: Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC) and Lok Nayak Hospital, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Binni
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Makkar
authors.forename: Swaraj
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Batra
authors.forename: Gauri
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gandhi
authors.forename: Vijay
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zutshi
authors.forename: Deepti
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Goswami
mesh_terms: D000282:Administration, Intravaginal; D000328:Adult; D003127:Colposcopy; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004967:Estrogens / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016595:Misoprostol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D010120:Oxytocics / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; D010120:Oxytocics; D016595:Misoprostol; D004958:Estradiol