Clinical pattern of genital tract pathologies in women with post- JKCD January 2020, Online Issue CLINICAL PATTERN OF GENITAL TRACT PATHOLOGIES IN WOMEN WITH POSTMENOPAUSAL BLEEDING AT FAUJI FOUNDATION HOSPITAL RAWALPINDI Asma Iqbal Paracha1, Seema Gul2, Atikka Masud1, Naveen Iqbal3, Manya Tahir4, Gul Sheikh5 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Fauji Foundation Hospital/Foundation University Medical College, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Watim Medical and Dental College Rawalpindi, Pakistan. 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Combined Military Hospital Kharian, Kharian Medical College, Kharian Cantonment, Gujrat, Pakistan. 4Department of Community Medicine, Watim Medical and Dental College Rawalpindi. 5Department of Medical Education, National University Of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Available Online 30-March 2020 at http://www.jkcd.edu.pk DOI: https://doi.org/10.33279/2307-3934.2020.0119 ABSTRACT Objective: Present study was carried out to determine the clinical pattern of genital tract pa- thologies in women with postmenopausal bleeding at Fauji Foundation Hospital Rawalpindi. Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross sectional study was carried out at Gynaecology and Obstetrics Department of Fauji Foundation Hospital Rawalpindi, on a sample size of 262, over a period of two years from June 2017 to May 2019. Results: Maximum number of patients with postmenopausal bleeding was found in 5th decades of life. Benign cases accounted for 235/262 (89.65%), pre-malignant 20/262 (7.6%) and malignant 7/262 (2.6%). Most common cause of postmenopausal bleeding was endometrial hyperplasia without atypia (20%). Adenocarcinoma of uterus was the most common (2%) among genital tract malignancies. Conclusion: Post-menopausal bleeding should be investigated promptly to determine the cause of bleeding. Endometrial hyperplasia is the most common cause of post-menopausal bleeding. Early diagnosis and treatment is essential to prevent progression to malignancy. Keywords: INTRODUCTION premature menopause. According to World Health Organization, nearly 1.2 billion women will be aged Menopause, as defined by WHO is the perma- nent cessation of menstrual periods for one year more than 50 years by 2030. So countries are ad- due to loss of follicular activities of the ovaries.1 It vised to include health needs of menopausal women 3 occurs in women aged 45-55 years with average of in their public health programs. Postmenopausal 51 years.2 It can occur in younger women following bleeding (PMB) is the bleeding from genital tract of 4 Correspondence: a woman after 12 months of amenorrhea. It is a clin- Dr. Asma Iqbal ical condition that occurs in 10% of postmenopausal Assistant Professor, Department of Gynaecology and Ob- women.5 Postmenopausal bleeding is usually uterine stetrics, Fauji Foundation Hospital/Foundation University in origin but ovarian, fallopian tubes, cervical, vagi- Medical College Rawalpindi, Pakistan. 6 Email: [email protected] nal and vulval pathologies also contribute to PMB. Contact: +92-51-5788150-332, +92-0331-3295329 Extra genital sites like bladder, urethra, bowel and Available Online 30-March 2020 at http://www.jkcd.edu.pk DOI: https://doi.org/10.33279/2307-3934.2020.0119 1 Clinical pattern of genital tract pathologies in women with post- JKCD January 2020, Online Issue rectum may also be a source of bleeding.7 who were received with postmenopausal bleeding. An informed written consent was taken from all the PMB is associated with genital tract pathologies, patients or their relatives. A detailed history about both benign and malignant.8 Benign lesions such as the age, obstetrical, past menstrual, surgical and endometrial poly and hyperplasia account for 40% of medical history was taken. Examination including the causes of PMB.7 Other causes are vaginal atrophy general physical examination, abdominal and vaginal and chronic endometritis.9 Endometrial malignancies examination was done. Transvaginal ultrasound was are found in 10-15% of women with postmenopausal performed to note the size of uterus, endometrial bleeding.10 Postmenopausal bleeding is the most 11 thickness and adnexal pathologies. Endometrial common clinical feature of endometrial carcinoma. sampling was done depending on examination find- Endometrial carcinoma is the most common gynae- ings. Friendly environment was provided to collect 12 cological malignancy of female genital tract. How- the accurate data. ever, population based screening does not exist.13 Cervical malignancy is also found to be associated All the ultrasounds were done through expert with PMB. It is the second most common malignancy sonologist and strictly exclusion criteria was fol- of female genital tract and 80% of the cases occurs lowed so that to control confounders and bias in our in developing countries due lack of well-established study results. cervical screening program.14 Other genital tract ma- Data was analyzed using Statistical tests for lignancies that cause postmenopausal bleeding are Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21. Means +standard granulose cell tumor of ovary, fallopian tube cancer, deviations were calculated for continuous variables. vaginal cancer, vulval cancer and leiomyosarcoma.15 Proportions and frequencies were calculated for Therefore early diagnosis is important to exclude categorical variables. Results were presented in the underlying pre malignant and malignant conditions form of tables and figures. in these women as survival decreases with advancing RESULTS stage of cancer.16 Age range of our patients was 50-72 ± 7.3 years. The present study was carried out to determine Maximum number of patients was in 5th decade various benign, premalignant and malignant patholo- (Table-1). Parity varied from nulliparous to para 12. gies of genital tract associated with postmenopausal Duration of bleeding ranged from single episode to bleeding in our population. The results will be shared up to 2 years. with gynecologist and community to increase aware- ness regarding early evaluation and prompt manage- Benign cases accounted for 235/262 (89.65), ment of the patients with postmenopausal bleeding. pre-malignant 20/262 (7.6%) and malignant 7/262 (2.6%) as shown in Table-2. Most common cause of MATERIALS AND METHODS postmenopausal bleeding was endometrial hyper- A descriptive cross-sectional study was conduct- plasia without atypia which accounted for 20% of ed in Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Fauji the cases. Other causes were endometrial polyp and Foundation Hospital, Rawalpindi, over a period of disordered proliferative endometrium 18%, prolifer- two years from June 2017 to May 2019. A total of ative endometrium 17%, secretory phase endometri- 262 patients were included in the study. Non prob- um 11% and atrophic changes 6%. Hyperplasia with ability purposive sampling technique was used. All atypia accounted for 8%. Incidence of genital tract patients with postmenopausal bleeding confirmed malignancy was 2.6%. Most common was uterine on history were included in the study. Patient with adenocarcinoma 2% (Figure-1). hysterectomy, trauma to genital tract, coagulation DISCUSSION disorders, using hormone replacement therapy and The primary aim of early investigating a patient anticoagulation medication were excluded. These with postmenopausal bleeding is to rule out malig- were the confounders and made the study results nancy. Our study revealed maximum number of biased were excluded from the study. patients in 5th decade of life. Similar results were Permission was taken from the hospital ethical found in a study conducted in by Rahman et al.9 committee. Data was collected from all those patients Patients presented with single episode of bleeding Available Online 30-March 2020 at http://www.jkcd.edu.pk DOI: https://doi.org/10.33279/2307-3934.2020.0119 2 Clinical pattern of genital tract pathologies in women with post- JKCD January 2020, Online Issue Table: 1 Descriptive statistics (n=262) and cancerous tumors must be excluded in 10-20% of cases.17 This is consistent with findings of our study Age groups Frequencies where 90% of the cases of PMB were benign while Below 55 174 (66.4%) 10% were pre-malignant and malignant. Between 55 and 60 54 (20.6%) Above 60 34 (12.9%) A wide range of benign conditions were found in patients with PMB in our study. Among these Table: 2 Genital tract pathologies in different age groups hyperplasia without atypia was found most common followed by endometrial polyp and disordered pro- Age Group of Patient Frequency Percent (%) liferative endometrium. Endometrial hyperplasia is Benign 162 93.1 an estrogen dependent condition. Both exogenous Pre-Malignant 8 4.6 Below 55 estrogen stimulation such as unopposed estrogen Malignant 4 2.2 therapy and endogenous therapy such as obesity, Total 174 100 anovulation and estrogen producing tumors are the Benign 48 88.9 risk factors. Risk of endometrial hyperplasia can be Between 55 Pre-Malignant 5 9.3 reduced by decreasing use of exogenous estrogen and 60 Malignant 1 1.9 and managing risk factors for producing endogenous Total 54 100.0 estrogen in our population.17 A study conducted by Benign 25 73.5 Khanger et al showed atrophic vagina to be the most 18 Pre-Malignant 7 20.6 common cause of PMB. The differences may be Above 60 Malignant 2 5.9 due to different selection criteria of the patients or Total 34 100.0 different geographical and racial factors. In pre-malignant cases endometrial hyperpla- sia with atypia was found in 7.6% in our study. A study conducted by Vasudev showed similar results. Atypical endometrial hyperplasia is a pre-cancerous condition, if not treated timely leads to endometrial carcinoma in 60-70% of the cases.19, 20 Incidence can be reduced by addressing the modifiable risk factors like obesity and exogenous hormones intake causing endometrial hyperplasia with atypia.17 The reported incidence of malignancy is variable in different population. The incidence is lower in white population 1% to 54% in African population.21 Fig 1: Clinical pattern of endometrial pathologies with Our study proposed an incidence of malignancy of PMB 2.6% with highest incidence of adenocarcinoma of and history of bleeding for 2 years.