RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Does Gel Affect Cytology or Comfort in the Screening Papanicolaou Smear?
JF The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine
JO J Am Board Fam Med
FD American Board of Family Medicine
SP 340
OP 344
DO 10.3122/jabfm.19.4.340
VO 19
IS 4
A1 Meredith Gilson
A1 Alpa Desai
A1 Gabriella Cardoza-Favarato
A1 Penny Vroman
A1 Jennifer A. Thornton
YR 2006
UL http://www.jabfm.org/content/19/4/340.abstract
AB Purpose: Current medical training recommends obtaining cervical cytological specimens without the use of lubricating gel. The purpose of this study was to determine whether water-soluble lubricant gel affects cytologic outcomes in the screening Papanicolaou smear and patient comfort during vaginal speculum examination.Methods: The study was a randomized controlled trial performed at David Grant US Air Force Medical Center (Travis Air Force Base, CA). Participants were female patients at least 18 years old presenting for an annual Papanicolaou smear. Each patient, blinded to group assignment, consented to two consecutive Papanicolaou smears. The first Papanicolaou smear was performed without gel in all subjects as part of the “standard of care.” Thirty control patients underwent a second examination with no gel, and 40 other patients had the second examination with gel. All patients rated the discomfort of each Papanicolaou smear on a numerical pain scale. Main outcome measures were cytologic discrepancies on standard glass slide samples and comfort differences regarding the use of gel lubrication. Fisher’s exact test was used to interpret the effect of gel on cytology results. Student’s t test was performed to compare the discomfort ratings for the second Papanicolaou smear in the GEL vs. the NO GEL groups.Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the number of inadequate Papanicolaou smears (P = .50) nor in the discomfort level ratings in the GEL vs. the NO GEL groups (P = .69).Conclusion: Speculum gel lubrication does not affect cervical cytology during the traditional Papanicolaou smear, nor does it provide significant alteration of patient discomfort.