Karyopyknotic Index

The karyopyknotic index (KPI) is an indicator of the degree of saturation of a woman’s body with estrogen. It represents the percentage of superficial cells in a vaginal smear with symptoms of karyopyknosis, that is, with an altered shape of the nucleus.

Karyopyknosis is the process of changing the shape of the cell nucleus under the influence of estrogens. Normally, vaginal cells have a rounded nucleus, but as estrogen levels increase, they become flatter and more compact. This occurs due to an increase in the number of estrogen receptors on the surface of cells.

CPI is an important indicator of a woman’s health and can be used to diagnose various diseases associated with hormonal imbalance. For example, an elevated CPI may indicate the presence of estrogen deficiency, which can lead to the development of diseases such as uterine and breast cancer.

To determine the karyopyknotic index, it is necessary to analyze a vaginal smear. In the laboratory, the smear is stained with a special dye, which allows you to see the cell nuclei and determine their shape. After this, the gynecologist counts the number of cells with karyopyknosis and calculates the percentage.

Normally, in women of childbearing age, the CPI ranges from 10 to 40%. However, if this figure exceeds 40%, this may indicate increased levels of estrogen in the body.

Thus, the karyopyknotic index is an important indicator of a woman’s hormonal status and can be used to diagnose various diseases. However, to obtain reliable results, it is necessary to carry out the analysis in a specialized laboratory and correctly interpret the results.