Correlation of colposcopic findings and histopathologic examinations in perimenopausal women

Perimenopausal women experience various physiological changes that may affect cervical health. Colposcopy is a diagnostic tool used to examine an illuminated, magnified view of the cervix and the tissues of the vagina and vulva. Histopathological examination (HPE) is a gold standard for diagnosing cervical lesions. To determine the correlation between colposcopic findings and histopathological examination results in perimenopausal women and to evaluate the prevalence of cervical abnormalities in this population. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 200 perimenopausal women who were referred for colposcopy at Saveetha Medical College and Hospital, Chennai. Colposcopic findings were recorded, and those with abnormal findings underwent a biopsy for HPE. Data were analyzed using percentage and chi square test to find the correlation between colposcopy findings and HPE results. Out of 200 perimenopausal women, colposcopy identified 120 cases with abnormal findings. HPE confirmed 30 cases with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and 5 cases with invasive carcinoma. The correlation coefficient between colposcopic findings and HPE was calculated to be 0.65, indicating a strong correlation. The prevalence of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) was noted to be 15%. The study suggests a strong correlation between colposcopic findings and histopathological results in perimenopausal women. The high prevalence of HSIL at 15% indicates the necessity for regular screening in this population. Further research with a larger sample size and multicentric design is recommended to validate these findings.