ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accuracy of Amsel's criteria individually or in combinations of two for the clinical diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis. METHODS: This cross-sectional study enrolled 135 women at UNICAMP, and evaluated Amsel's four clinical criteria. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were calculated for each criterion individually, in combinations of two, and for the classic test with at least three criteria present. The Nugent method was used as gold standard. RESULTS: The most sensitive individual criteria were pH and vaginal discharge (97%), the latter having lowest specificity (26%). The criterion with highest specificity was the presence of clue cells (86%). The combination of two criteria showed sensitivity of 83% to 93%, and specificity of 82% to 94%. CONCLUSION: The accuracy of Amsel's clinical criteria individually or in combinations of two was as accurate as the presence of at least three criteria for the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis.
