An observational study of women with positive HPV-DNA tests and normal cytology and colposcopy.
OBJECTIVE
High risk human papillomaviruses (HPV) are implicated in the aetiology of malignant cervical disease. The usefulness of HPV DNA tests in identifying women at risk of cervical cancer as an adjunct to cervical cytology is under evaluation.


METHODS
This is a retrospective analysis of 47 women positive for high risk HPV but with negative cytology and negative colposcopy at the start of the study. Women were observed for three years or more (in 96% cases) using six-monthly combined HPV DNA tests, cytological and colposcopic evaluation.


RESULTS
At the end of follow-up, 29/47 (62%) women were still positive for high risk HPV, 45/47 (96%) women had normal cytology and 47/47 (100%) women continued to have normal colposcopy.


CONCLUSIONS
Normal colposcopy has an excellent negative predictive value for HPV positive women with normal cytology. These women can be safely screened cytologically on a three-yearly basis.
Paraskevaidis
E
E
Department of Gynecology, Ioannina Medical School, Greece.
Davidson
E J
EJ
Malamou-Mitsi
V
V
Hirsch
P M
PM
Pappa
L
L
Koliopoulos
G
G
Lolis
E
E
Zikopoulos
K
K
Paschopoulos
M
M
Doussias
V
V
Agnantis
N
N
D000328:Adult; D003127:Colposcopy / Q000592:standards*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears
D004279:DNA, Viral