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Normal findings in vulvar examination and vulvoscopy

  1. Marc van Beurden Fellow (Gynaecological Oncology) 1,5,*,
  2. Nine van der Vange Consultant (Gynaecological Oncology) 1,5,
  3. Anton J. M. de Craen Research Fellow (Clinical Epidemiology) 2,
  4. Stevcn P. Tjong-A-Hung Research Assistant (Virology) 3,
  5. Fiebo J. W. ten Kate Professor (Pathology) 4,
  6. Jan ter Schegget Consultant (Virology) 3,
  7. Frits B. Lammes Professor (Gynaecological Oncology) 1

Article first published online: 19 AUG 2005

DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1997.tb11461.x

Issue

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Volume 104, Issue 3, pages 320–324, March 1997

Additional Information

How to Cite

van Beurden, M., van der Vange, N., de Craen, A. J. M., Tjong-A-Hung, S. P., ten Kate, F. J. W., ter Schegget, J. and Lammes, F. B. (1997), Normal findings in vulvar examination and vulvoscopy. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 104: 320–324. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1997.tb11461.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam

  2. 2

    Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam

  3. 3

    Department of Virology, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam

  4. 4

    Department of Pathology, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam

  5. 5

    Department of Gynaecology, the Netherlands Cancer Institute, Antoni van Leeuwenhoekhuis, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

*Correspondence: Dr M. van Beurden, Antoni van Leeuwenhoekhuis, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Department of Gynaecology, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 19 AUG 2005
  2. Article first published online: 19 AUG 2005
  3. Received 23 April 1996 Accepted 10 September 1996

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Objective To determine the normal vulvar findings by naked eye examination and by vulvoscopy in healthy women without vulvar complaints.

Design Observational study.

Population Forty healthy volunteers without vulvar complaints recruited via a newspaper advertisement.

Methods Vulvar examination, human papillomavirus (HPV) polymerase chain reaction of vulvar and cervical swabs, saline and KOH smears and vulvoscopy before and after the application of 5% acetic acid.

Main outcome measures Prevalence of vestibular erythema, vestibular papillomatosis, HPV infection on the vulva and in the cervix and vulvoscopic findings.

Results The mean age of the women was 37.8 years (median 38.0, range 21–56). Nine women were current smokers and 21 had previously smoked. Naked eye vulvar examination showed vestibular papillomatosis in 13 women (33%) and vestibular erythema in 17 women (43%). The touch test was positive in 9 of the 17 women (53%) with vestibular erythema. Vulvoscopy after the application of acetic acid 5% showed an acetowhite vestibule in all women. Twelve women (30%) had acetowhite lesions outside the vestibule. Six women (15%) were positive for HPV DNA. The presence of HPV DNA did not correlate with vestibular erythema or vestibular papillomatosis. There was a weak association between HPV DNA and acetowhite lesions outside the vestibule (P= 0.055, Fisher's exact test). In this group the younger women significantly more often had vestibular papillomatosis (t-statistic = 3.07; P= 0.003) and women who smoke more often had a genital HPV infection (P= 0.016, Fisher's exact test).

Conclusions Vestibular erythema, vestibular papillomatosis, and acetowhite lesions are common in this group of healthy women without vulvar complaints.

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