Is high-risk human papillomavirus infection associated with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia eliminated after conization by large-loop excision of the transformation zone?
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether high-risk HPV infection associated with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) was successfully eliminated after electrosurgical conization by large-loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ).


METHODS
142 women, who were admitted for conization of CIN 1-3 were recruited into a prospective follow-up study of HPV infection, including cervical sampling for HPV DNA before, and then 3, 6 and 12 months after surgery. We examined whether there were any differences in the rate of HPV DNA positivity after LLETZ between specific risk groups, such as patients with primary (i.e. before surgical treatment) high-risk HPV infection, CIN of different grades, and positive margins.


RESULTS
We did not detect statistically significant differences between specific risk groups. According to the assay used (hybrid capture II) at the last follow-up visit 94% of primarily infected patients were completely free from infection with high-risk HPV types, while 6% had persisting HPV infection.


CONCLUSIONS
With a detection limit of 5000 genomes/ml HPV DNA the hybrid capture II results revealed, that after electrosurgical removal of CIN in 94% of patients testing positive for high-risk HPV DNA prior to surgery were negative 12 months post-surgery.
Kucera
E
E
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Medical School, University of Vienna, Währinger-Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria. elisabeth.kucera@akh-wien.ac.at
Sliutz
G
G
Czerwenka
K
K
Breitenecker
G
G
Leodolter
S
S
Reinthaller
A
A
D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology; D003127:Colposcopy; D019092:Conization; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000601:surgery*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000601:surgery*; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000821:virology*
D004279:DNA, Viral