External Quality Monitoring of the Cervical Cytopathological Exams in the Rio de Janeiro City

Abstract

Objective To discuss the implementation and contributions of the External Quality Monitoring in the city of Rio de Janeiro and to analyze the performance of the main providers of cervical cytopathology in this city from September 2013 to March 2017, here referred to as “Alpha laboratory” and “Beta laboratory.”

Methods Observational, cross-sectional, retrospective study using information from the Cervical Cancer Control Information System (SISCOLO, in the Portuguese acronym), municipal coordination module, External Quality Monitoring report. The proportions of false positives, false negatives, unsatisfactory samples and rejected samples were estimated. The agreement among the observers was analyzed through the Kappa index and the reduction of disagreements in the period for each laboratory studied, comparing the results of each cycle.

Results A total of 19,158 examinations were selected, of which 19,130 (99.85%) were monitored, 16.649 (87, 03%) were reviewed by the External Quality Monitoring Unit, 2,481 (12,97%) were rejected and 441 (2,65%) were considered unsatisfactory. The “Beta laboratory” presented excellent concordance in all cycles; the “Alpha laboratory” had good concordance in the first two cycles (K = 0.76 and 0.79), becoming excellent in the following four cycles. The average Kappa index was 0.85, with median of 0.86. The percentage of diagnostic disagreement was 6.63% of the reviewed exams, of which 5.38% required a change of conduct

Conclusion External Quality Monitoring is an exercise in diagnostic improvement, and its implementation was fundamental to ensure the reliability of the cytopathological exams in the city of Rio de Janeiro.

Resumo

Objetivo Discutir a implementação e as contribuições do Monitoramento Externo da Qualidade na cidade do Rio de Janeiro e analisar o desempenho dos principais provedores de citopatologia cervical nessa cidade no período de setembro de 2013 a março de 2017, aqui denominado “laboratório Alfa” “e” “laboratório Beta.”

Métodos Estudo observacional, transversal, retrospectivo, utilizando informações do Sistema de Informação de Controle do Câncer do Colo do Útero (SISCOLO), do módulo de coordenação municipal, e do relatório de Monitoramento da Qualidade Externa. As proporções de falsos positivos, falsos negativos, amostras insatisfatórias e amostras rejeitadas foram estimadas. A concordância entre os observadores foi analisada através do índice Kappa bem como a redução de divergências no período para cada laboratório estudado, comparando os resultados de cada ciclo.

Resultados Foram selecionados 19.158 exames, dos quais 19.130 (99,85%) foram monitorados, 16.649 (87, 03%) foram revisados pela Unidade de Monitoramento da Qualidade Externa, 2.481 (12,97%) foram rejeitados e 441 (2,65%) foram considerados insatisfatório. O “laboratório Beta” apresentou excelente concordância em todos os ciclos; o “laboratório Alfa” apresentou boa concordância nos 2 primeiros ciclos (K = 0,76 e 0,79), tornando-se excelente nos 4 ciclos seguintes. O índice Kappa médio foi de 0,85, com mediana de 0,86. O percentual de discordância diagnóstica foi de 6,63% dos exames revisados, dos quais 5,38% necessitaram de mudança de conduta.

Conclusão O Monitoramento Externo da Qualidade é um exercício de aprimoramento diagnóstico, e sua implementação foi fundamental para garantir a confiabilidade dos exames citopatológicos no município do Rio de Janeiro.

Keywords

quality control - cytodiagnosis - uterine cervical neoplasms - mass screening

Palavras-chave

controle de qualidade - citodiagnóstico - neoplasias do colo do útero - triagem em massa

Contributors

Rocha V. S. O., Malfacini S. S., Gomes A. M. and Rocha C. R. M. declared to have contributed with the conception of the study, collection, and tabulation, critical review, drafting of the manuscript and final approval of the version to be published.

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