Papanicolaou smears in human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive women during follow-up.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the outcome of cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seropositive women.


METHODS
Papanicolaou smears were followed-up prospectively in a group of 60 HIV-positive women every 6 months for 18 months.


RESULTS
The cumulative incidence of SIL at 18 months was 9% in 27 women who presented with normal Papanicolaou smears at entry. In 33 women who initially presented with SIL, the rate of persistence of cervical lesions was 95% (18 of 19) in untreated patients and 61% (eight of 13) in women who underwent surgery. In women with low-grade SIL, the persistence or progression of cervical lesions was observed in 92% of the cases (12 of 13). No invasive cancer was observed during the 18 months of the study period.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the long-term outcome of SIL in this population remains unknown, our results emphasize the high rate of persistence of SIL and the relative inefficiency of conventional treatment in HIV-infected women. These findings contrast with the natural history of SIL in immunocompetent women.
Heard
I
I
Unité d'Immunopathologic, Hôpital Broussais, Paris, France.
Bergeron
C
C
Jeannel
D
D
Henrion
R
R
Kazatchkine
M D
MD
D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D011446:Prospective Studies; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D014626:Vaginal Smears; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery