title: Importance of the residual volume of the cytological solution for the reproducibility of the hybrid capture 2 high-risk human papillomavirus DNA test.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections are widespread in all human populations, and a large number of studies have demonstrated a relationship between high-risk (HR)-HPV infections and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia or invasive cervical cancer. To the best of our knowledge, no independent study clearly demonstrates the importance of the quantity of residual liquid after cytology in terms of sensitivity for HR-HPV detection.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a study to assess the relationship between the liquid-based cytology volume and the sensitivity of the hybrid capture 2 test for the detection of HR-HPV in 23 cytological high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions with a cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or worse protocol on biopsy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although the sensitivity of the tests showed no statistically significant differences, we still found a significant variation in the median values of relative light units/control according to the amount of liquid used.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  If 2 ml of liquid is used, this could lead to false negatives when the value of relative light units/control is only slightly greater than 1. The fact that we found a lower viral load at 2 versus 4 or 8 ml was also important in terms of predicting the evolution of cervical lesions. We recommend using at least 4 ml of the PreservCyt solution for HR-HPV detection with the hybrid capture 2 test.
authors: Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium. xavier.catteau06@gmail.com
authors: Xavier
authors: X
authors: Catteau
authors: Michel
authors: M
authors: Vanhaeverbeek
authors: Jean-Christophe
authors: JC
authors: Noël
mesh_terms: D003581:Cytodiagnosis / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral