title: Hybrid capture 2 high-risk human papillomavirus test: should "grey zone" results justify repeating the test?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the clinical importance of repeating the Hybrid Capture 2 (HC2) high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) test when the result obtained falls between 2.7 and 0.8 pg/mL, the so-called "grey zone."
  
  
  METHODS
  Repeat testing was performed on 139 thin-layer liquid-based cytology cervicovaginal samples that were found to fall in the grey zone. The samples represented a variety of cytological diagnoses. The results of both HPV HC2 tests were analyzed related to the cytological diagnosis of both the previous and the follow-up cytological samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The change of the HPV HC2 result from positive (2.7-1 pg/mL) to negative (< 1 pg/mL) when repeating the test is not related with the diagnosis obtained in the cytological follow-up of the patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The HC2 test should not be repeated when the result falls between 2.7 and 0.8 pg/mL. In these cases the result of the cytology is more relevant and should be used in the clinical assessment of the patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital Universitari del Mar, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Angels
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ramirez-Hidalgo
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitari del Mar, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Mercè
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Musset-Biarnes
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital Universitari del Mar, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vilamala-Muns
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital Universitari del Mar, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Laso-Perez
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias I Pujol, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Laia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Serrano-Munne
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitari del Mar, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Francesc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alameda-Quitllet
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D003581:Cytodiagnosis; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors; D014626:Vaginal Smears; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral