A RANDOMIZED COMPARISON OF THE 3 PAPANICOLAOU SMEAR COLLECTION METHODS

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of 3 cervic al smear sampling devices for obtaining acceptable yields of endocervi cal cells in Papanicolaou smears. In a randomized, controlled clinical trial, we collected 346 smears over a 6-month period, 110 with the Ce rvex brush, 125 with the cotton swab plus Ayre spatula and 111 with th e Cytobrush plus Ayre spatula. The Cytopathology Laboratory, blinded t o the Papanicolaou smear method, screened the smears using the Bethesd a system guidelines. Statistical analyses were performed using the Pea rson X(2) and analysis of variance tests. There was an increased detec tion of endocervical cells in the Cytobrush plus Ayre spatula and the Cervex brush methods, compared with the cotton swab plus Ayre spatula group (p=2.39x10(-6), p=4.49x10(-7) respectively). There was no statis tically significant difference between the Cytobrush-spatula and Cerve x brush groups (p=0.0779), We concluded that the Cytobrush-Ayre spatul a and the Cervex brush sampling methods were equally effective in obta ining endocervical cells in Papanicolaou smears.