Abstract
The objectives of this study were to determine: a) the agreement between postmortem endometrial cytology, uterine biopsy and presence of intrauterine fluid in apparently normal genital tracts collected from culled dairy cows; b) the agreement between results obtained from paired uterine horns using the different diagnosis methods; and c) the microorganisms isolated from uteri with cytological endometritis. One hundred grossly normal genital tracts from Holstein cows were collected at a local slaughterhouse. Samples for cytology, histopathology and bacteriology were obtained from both uterine horns, and presence of any intrauterine content was determined after opening the tracts. Cut-offvalues used for positive cytology were ≥5% PMN (polymorphonuclear neutrophils). Data were analyzed by ROC curve analysis, Cohen's Kappa method and Chi-square tests. Presence of inflammatory infiltrate and its endometrial distribution were the only histological parameters significantly correlated with cytology results (AUC: 0.780 and 0.694, respectively). Agreement between histology and cytology was moderately high for presence of infiltrate (kappa = 0.55) and low for infiltrate distribution (kappa = 0.33). Other histological parameters (status of endometrial epithelium, endometrial glands or fibrosis), intrauterine content or bacteriology were not correlated with cytology. Presence of intrauterine content was significantly (P = 0.036) related with biopsy results. Moderately high agreement was observed between paired uterine horns for cytology (kappa = 0.65) and biopsy (kappa = 0.74). Bacteriology was not related with cytology or biopsy, but different bacteria were isolated from cytology negative or positive uteri. It was concluded that endometrial cytology, although less sensitive than biopsy, is a useful tool for diagnosing subclinical endometrial inflammation.
Highlights
Reproductive efficiency of dairy cattle is of utmost importance for milk production as itAmong reproductive diseases, postpartum uterine pathologies are the main causes of poor reproductive performance and economic losses (Sheldon et al, 2006) due to infertility, higher culling rates, reduced milk production and increased costs for treatments (Bartlett et al, 1986; Guard, 1994)
Presence of an inflammatory infiltrate and its distribution within the endometrium were the only histological parameters that significantly agreed with the results of endometrial cytology
From the histological parameters evaluated in uterine biopsies, the presence of an inflammatory infiltrate and its endometrial distribution were significantly correlated with the cytology results (Table 1)
Summary
Postpartum uterine pathologies are the main causes of poor reproductive performance and economic losses (Sheldon et al, 2006) due to infertility, higher culling rates, reduced milk production and increased costs for treatments (Bartlett et al, 1986; Guard, 1994). Several studies have shown that subclinical endometritis (SCE) is a common disease in the postpartum of dairy cows and that is highly associated with poor reproductive performance (Kasimanickam et al, 2004; Gilbert et al, 2005; Barrio et al, 2015). Uterine cytology is the most used tool for SCE diagnosis (Kasimanickam et al, 2005) and cytobrushing is considered the best technique for endometrial sample collection as it is easy and quick to perform (Barlund et al, 2008), and it is safe and effective (Oral et al, 2009). Discrepancies exist in relation to the cut off values of PMN that should be considered as diagnostic of SCE depending on the days in milk (DIM; Melcher et al, 2014)
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