Importance of using guarded techniques for the preparation of endometrial cytology smears in mares.
Abstract: Material for endometrial cytology can be collected by veterinarians using guarded or unguarded swabs, or digitally with a gloved hand, and is an important diagnostic tool in establishing the endometrial health of mares prior to breeding. The aim of this study was to determine whether the use of unguarded endometrial samples is a reliable indicator of the presence of neutrophils in the uterus. Duplicate endometrial smears were collected from 41 genitally normal, non-pregnant fertile mares by both double-guarded swabs (DGS) and in an unguarded manner by digital scraping (DS) of the endometrium. In 17 of the 41 mares, smears were also collected from the cranial vagina by DS. Cytological samples were collected from a further seven non-pregnant mares at different reproductive stages, and tissues (vestibule, vagina and cervix) from four reproductively normal mares were examined histologically after slaughter to detect the presence of neutrophils. Only 3/41 (7.3%) of the DGS endometrial smears had neutrophils present compared to 36/41 (87.8%) of the DS endometrial smears. The percentage of neutrophils in DGS endometrial smears ranged from 0 to 6% (mean = 0.41%), whereas those in the DS smears ranged from 2 to 90% (mean = 22.02%). Neutrophils were present in all vaginal smears (17/17, range=3-56% (mean = 22.18%)). There was a significant positive correlation (r = 0.84; P < 0.001) between the percentage of neutrophils in the vagina and in the DS endometrial smears. More neutrophils were found in the cervix, vagina and vestibule than in endometrial smears during the cycle (P<0.05). Neutrophils were also observed in tissue collected from the cervix, vagina and vestibule from reproductively normal mares at post-mortem. In conclusion, endometrial smears collected using unguarded techniques are very likely to be contaminated with neutrophils transferred from the vagina potentially leading to incorrect diagnosis of endometritis. When collecting samples for endometrial cytology it is important to use guarded techniques to ensure that only the endometrium is sampled to avoid contamination with cells carried over from other areas of the reproductive tract.
Publication Date: 2006-01-20 PubMed ID: 16427691DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2005.12.007Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This research examines the reliability of using unguarded techniques in the collection of endometrial cytology samples in mares. It suggests that unguarded techniques could lead to neutrophil contamination, potentially resulting in incorrect diagnosis of endometritis, hence the necessity for using guarded techniques to accurately sample the endometrium.
Methodology
- The research was conducted on 41 genitally normal, non-pregnant fertile mares. In order to establish a relevant comparison, endometrial smears were collected using both double-guarded swabs and unguarded techniques via digital scraping of the endometrium.
- For 17 out of the 41 mares, smear samples were also collected from the cranial vagina using digital scraping.
- In addition, cytological samples were collected from seven more non-pregnant mares at different reproductive stages.
- Moreover, tissue samples from the vestibule, vagina and cervix of four reproductively normal mares were examined histologically, post their slaughter to detect the presence of neutrophils.
Findings
- The findings indicated a noticeable difference in the presence of neutrophils between the endometrial smears collected by double-guarded swabs and those collected using the unguarded technique. Only 7.3% of the double-guarded swab smears showed neutrophils, contrasting sharply with the 87.8% of digital scraping smears where neutrophils were present.
- In addition, there was a marked difference in the percentage of neutrophils found. While the double-guarded swab smears showed a range of 0 to 6% neutrophils (with an average of 0.41%), those collected via digital scraping displayed a markedly higher percentage range of 2-90% (with an average of 22.02%).
- All the smear samples taken from the vagina contained neutrophils, further reinforcing the correlation between unguarded technique samples and neutrophil presence.
- Neutrophil presence was also observed in tissue taken from the cervix, vagina and vestibule. This pointed towards a contamination likelihood when using unguarded techniques for endometrial smear sample collection.
Conclusion
- The study concluded that endometrial smears collected using unguarded techniques are very likely contaminated with neutrophils transferred from other areas of the reproductive tract. This inaccuracy generally leads to false-positive diagnosis of endometritis.
- The findings underscored the importance of using guarded techniques for endometrial cytology in mares, ensuring that the smears are sampled exclusively from the endometrium to avoid contamination.
Cite This Article
APA
Aguilar J, Hanks M, Shaw DJ, Else R, Watson E.
(2006).
Importance of using guarded techniques for the preparation of endometrial cytology smears in mares.
Theriogenology, 66(2), 423-430.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2005.12.007 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- University of Edinburgh, Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, Scotland, United Kingdom. Javier.Aguilar@ed.ac.uk
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Cervix Uteri / cytology
- Endometritis / diagnosis
- Endometritis / immunology
- Endometritis / veterinary
- Endometrium / cytology
- Female
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / immunology
- Horses
- Neutrophils / immunology
- Neutrophils / pathology
- Vagina / cytology
- Vaginal Smears / instrumentation
- Vaginal Smears / methods
- Vaginal Smears / standards
- Vaginal Smears / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Ibrahim S, Hedia M, Taqi MO, Derbala MK, Mahmoud KGM, Ahmed Y, Sosa AS, Saber YHA, Hasanain MH, Nawito MF, Seidel GE. Extracellular vesicles in low volume uterine lavage and serum: novel and promising biomarker for endometritis in Arabian mares.. BMC Vet Res 2022 Jan 18;18(1):42.
- Ibrahim S, Hedia M, Taqi MO, Derbala MK, Mahmoud KGM, Ahmed Y, Ismail S, El-Belely M. Alterations in the Expression Profile of Serum miR-155, miR-223, miR-17, miR-200a, miR-205, as well as Levels of Interleukin 6, and Prostaglandins during Endometritis in Arabian Mares.. Vet Sci 2021 Jun 4;8(6).
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