Rupashree S.1, Geethalakshmi U.2, Ramesh Babu K.3
BACKGROUND
Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) is one of the commonest presenting symptoms
in gynaecological outpatient department (OPD). This term is used to describe
irregular bleeding with no specific cause. Histopathological evaluation of
endometrium plays a significant role in the diagnosis and its management. We
wanted to study the frequent patterns of endometrium and evaluate the causes
of bleeding and its association with age.
METHODS
This is a retrospective study done in the Department of Pathology, Government
Medical College, Shivamogga, Karnataka, India, for a period of 5 years, from
September 2012 - September 2017. All the endometrial samples received from
gynaecological OPD of patients clinically diagnosed as AUB were included in the
study. Data of these patients were retrieved from hospital records and records
from pathology department. Those patients with known causes of bleeding were
excluded from the study. Samples obtained were routinely processed, stained with
haematoxylin & eosin (H & E) and examined microscopically. The data collected
were entered in Microsoft Excel and analysed using SPSS software. Results were
expressed in terms of percentage and proportions.
RESULTS
A total of 967 patients was included in our study. The age group of these patients
ranged from 21 to 80 years. Majority of the patients belonged to 41 - 50 years
age group (49.1 %), followed by 31 - 40 years (33.1 %) and the least number of
cases was seen in the age group of 71 - 80 years (0.5 %). The most common
bleeding pattern in women presenting with AUB was menorrhagia (48.2 %)
followed by metrorrhagia (22.4 %), polymenorrhoea (15.4 %), menometrorrhagia
(9 %) and metropathia haemorrhagica (4.8 %). The most common
histopathological finding was proliferative phase (54.3 %) followed by secretory
phase (17.3 %). Endometrial malignancy was detected in (2.4 %).
CONCLUSIONS
Histopathological evaluation of endometrium in AUB is crucial thereby facilitates
accurate diagnosis and management.
