Faculty Collaboration Database

The relationship of inflammation in the papanicolaou smear to Chlamydia trachomatis infection in a high-risk population. Contraception 2000 Mar;61(3):231-4

Date

05/29/2000

Pubmed ID

10827338

DOI

10.1016/s0010-7824(00)00094-9

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0342657207 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   7 Citations

Abstract

Chlamydia trachomatis is a significant etiologic agent responsible for pelvic inflammatory disease leading to tubal infertility. A screening test aimed at identifying women at risk for Chlamydia trachomatis would be of great utility. The Papanicolaou smear is the most widely used screening test in the world. The association of inflammatory cells in the Papanicolaou smear to Chlamydia infection is controversial. We retrospectively examined the Papanicolaou smears of 80 Chlamydia-negative patients with 80 age-matched Chlamydia-positive patients in a high-risk population to see if a significant difference in inflammation was noted between the two groups. We found a statistically significant difference in inflammation scores between the Chlamydia-positive and Chlamydia-negative groups, evidenced by a sensitivity of 83% and a positive predictive value of 65% when using inflammation on Papanicolaou smears as a marker for Chlamydia infection. Grading of inflammation in the Papanicolaou smear can be of potential use in defining patients at highest risk for Chlamydia in a group considered to be at high risk based on sexual history.

Author List

Paler RJ Jr, Simpson DR, Kaye AM, Gunn S, Felix JC

Author

Juan Felix MD Vice Chair, Director, Professor in the Pathology department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adult
Chlamydia Infections
Chlamydia trachomatis
Female
Humans
Lymphocytes
Neutrophils
Papanicolaou Test
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Pelvic Pain
Retrospective Studies
Risk Factors
Sensitivity and Specificity
Vaginal Smears