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Evaluation of patients with Behçet’s disease by cervical cytology and colposcopic examination

  • General Gynecology
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Abstract

Purpose

We evaluated the genital involvement in women with Behçet’s disease (BD) by cervical cytology and colposcopy, and compared these findings with healthy controls.

Methods

A total of 152 women were referred to the Gynecology Clinic of Meram School of Medicine between March 2008 and December 2009. The study group was composed of 78 women with BD, and the control group included 74 healthy women admitted for routine gynecologic examination. These patients were subjected to cervical cytology and colposcopic examination. Cervical biopsy was performed in cases with abnormal cytology. These findings and some gynecologic complaints were compared.

Results

The demographic features were similar between each group. Genital involvement (scar + ulcer) was detected in 58 (74.3%) patients. The most common sites of ulcers (55.1%) and scars (7.6%) were the labia majora. Abnormal cytology in study and control groups was detected in nine (11.5%) and three (4%) of the patients, respectively, and a slight statistical significance was obtained (p = 0.048). Acetowhite and iodine-negative epithelium were higher in the study group than in controls (p = 0.015 and p = 0.042). Dyspareunia was higher in BD patients (p = 0.001).

Conclusion

Patients with BD are more prone to having an abnormal cervical cytology and acetowhite and iodine-negative epithelium on colposcopic examination. However, these findings are mostly benign conditions. The complaint of dyspareunia should be considered during treatment of female patients with BD.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank all the women who participated in this research.

Conflict of interest

None.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Bezmialem Vakif University, 34093, Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey

    Suna Özdemir

  2. Department of Dermatology, Bezmialem Vakif University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey

    Mustafa Özdemir

  3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Meram School of Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey

    Çetin Çelik

  4. Department of Dermatology, Meram School of Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey

    Ali Balevi

  5. Department of Pathology, Meram School of Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey

    Hatice Toy

  6. Department of Ophtalmology, Meram School of Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey

    Umit Kamış

Authors
  1. Suna Özdemir
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  2. Mustafa Özdemir
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  3. Çetin Çelik
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  4. Ali Balevi
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  5. Hatice Toy
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Correspondence to Suna Özdemir.

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Özdemir, S., Özdemir, M., Çelik, Ç. et al. Evaluation of patients with Behçet’s disease by cervical cytology and colposcopic examination. Arch Gynecol Obstet 285, 1363–1368 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-011-2158-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-011-2158-5

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