title: Evaluation of diagnostic performances of visual cervical inspection with acetic acid and colposcopy in Benin city, Nigeria.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the performance indicators of visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) and colposcopy to detect cervical premalignant lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective cross-sectional study evaluating performance indicators of visual cervical inspection with acetic acid and colposcopy using directed biopsy for histopathology as the reference standard in a Colposcopy unit at a referral tertiary hospital in Nigeria. Consecutive sample of 212 apparently healthy, ambulant, asymptomatic women with an intact uterus and with no past history of cervical neoplasia were recruited.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 195 women had VIA and satisfactory colposcopy with directed biopsy. Overall test positivity was 29.7% for VIA, 36.9% for colposcopy and 32.8% for histology of colposcopically directed biopsy. Using CIN 2 as the disease threshold; the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of VIA were 70.8%, 67.0%, 29.3% & 94.9% while those of colposcopy were 87.5%, 97.7%, 84.0% &98.2%,respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the test characteristics of both VIA and colposcopy appear satisfactory in this study, the data suggests that colposcopy performs better than VIA in the diagnosis of cervical neoplasia. However, in view of its ease of administration and low logistic requirements, VIA still has a vital role to play in population-based screening in our environment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology,University of Benin Teaching Hospital, PMB 10108, Benin- City, Edo State.
authors.forename: B N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Olagbuji
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Okonkwo
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Akhiwu
mesh_terms: D019342:Acetic Acid; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003127:Colposcopy; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D058869:Gynecological Examination; D006801:Humans; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D019342:Acetic Acid