[Miniature squamous cells in gynecological smears: high association with epithelial lesions]

The frequence of abnormal smears in gynecological cytologies containing miniature squamous cells (MSC) was studied. Every smear containing MSC was collected from 5.000 consecutive smears. Two hundred thirty three cases (4.66%) containing MSC collected. The general frequence of abnormal smears was 2.04%, while this frequence was 24.89% in cases with MSC (p < 10(-8). 114 cases with MSC had an atrophic pattern, 10.5% of them being abnormal smears; 119 cases with MSC had an estrogenic/progestative pattern, 38.7% of them being abnormal smears (p < 0.05). 53.2% of smears containing MSC and keratohyaline granules had a cytological diagnosis of epithelial lesion or were atypic, while only 10.4% of cases with MSC and without keratohyaline granules had these diagnosis (p < 10(-6)). The frequence of abnormal smears was significantly higher in cases with MSC than the general frequence of abnormal smears, especially in cases also having a non-atrophic pattern or containing keratohyaline granules.