Investigation of Transition Types of HPV DNA Test Results over Time in Korean Women.
BACKGROUND
Understanding the history of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection is important for interpretation of a positive HPV DNA screening test, future work-up and treatment. We investigated the transition of HPV DNA test results in Korean women, and analyzed the association of cytology result with transition type.


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed annual HPV DNA test results for 5,274 subjects between January 2005 and December 2012. Each subject had a minimum of five annual tests over the eight-year period. Based on the pattern of results, the transition type for each subject was assigned to one of the following: negative, persistent, latent, transient, and unclassifiable. Associations of cytology results with the HPV DNA transition types, number of positive results, and the durations of positive results were also analyzed.


RESULTS
The proportion of abnormal cytology findings decreased in the following order of transition patterns: persistent, latent, transient, and negative. Among transient patterns, a duration of three years or more significantly correlated with cytology results of non-high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL; p<0.001). In the persistent group, duration of five years or more correlated with both non-HSIL and HSIL (p<0.001). Latent group showed no correlation with duration. Irrespective of patterns, having five or more positive results was significantly associated with HSIL (p<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings may contribute to better understanding of HPV infection, interpretation of HPV DNA screening results, and prediction of prognosis according to transition type.
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea E-mail : drwhy@hanmail.net.
Kiwoong
K
Ko
Min-Jung
MJ
Kwon
Hee-Yeon
HY
Woo
Hyosoon
H
Park
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D003581:Cytodiagnosis; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D061809:Human Papillomavirus DNA Tests / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology
D004279:DNA, Viral