A. Frega et al., CERVICAL INTRAEPITHELIAL NEOPLASIA AND BACTERIAL VAGINOSIS - CORRELATION OR RISK FACTOR, European journal of gynaecological oncology, 18(1), 1997, pp. 76-77
Bacterial Vaginosis (B.V.) is a syndrome defined microbiologically whe
re lactobacilli-dominated flora is exchanged with an abundant complex
nora dominated by strict and facultative anaerobic bacteria, constitut
ed by gardenerella, micrococci, streptococci and staphylocci. It has b
een suggested that B.V. could be important in the development of cervi
cal intraepithelial neoplasias, because the abnormal micro nora can pr
oduce carcinogenic nitrosamines. The aim of this investigation was to
evaluate the correlation between CIN and B.V. in 1,008 patients (media
n age: 28 years, range 17-60) who were divided into two groups: the fi
rst group consisted of 504 patients affected by CIN of different degre
es, the second of 504 patients without, CIN. AII patients were submitt
ed to colposcopy, pap-tests, cytology of the cervical canal and microc
olpohysteroscopy in the case of lesions invading the cervical canal. T
he diagnosis of B.V. is based on four criteria: presence of clue cells
, pH 4.5, positive amine test and increased vaginal discharge. X. Pear
son analysis was applied for statistical evaluation of the data. Among
the 504 patients in the first group (women affected by CIN of differe
nt degrees), 180/504 (36%) women presented B.V. Among the second group
(504 women without CIN), 248/504 (49%) women presented B.V. The resul
ts of our study demonstrate that then is no significant correlation be
tween CIN and B.V. In the first group of patients affected by CIN and
B.V., B.V. was present in 36% of the cases, while in the second group
of patients not affected by CIN, B.V. was present in 49% of the casts
(p < 0.00005).