Objective: Assessing the pelvic visceral hypersensitivity after Lugol' staining during colposcopy.
Patients and methods: On an unselected sample of 91 patients, pelvic discomfort and discomfort during menstruation, sexual intercourse, defecation, urination were assessed (numeric rating score from 0 to 10) before colposcopy. Few minutes after Lugol' staining, it was assessed the discomforting perception provoked by iodine by using the same numeric rating scale. All those scores were increased by 1 to allow regression models (linear, logarithmic, inverse, cubic, quadratic, exponential).
Results: The only significant models were the linear, logarithmic and inverse ones for pelvic discomfort overall score and the linear one for sexual intercourse score. A discomfort score of 4.5 or less after Lugol' staining should be a normal reaction to iodine nociception in the vagina.
Conclusions: Lugol' staining during colposcopy causes discomfort related with visceral nociception. The rise in numeric rating score after colposcopy can be used for screening pelvic visceral hypersensitivity.