title: High-risk human papillomavirus infection clearance following conization among patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasm grade 3 aged at least 45 years.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection clearance rates following successful cold knife conization and factors predictive of HPV clearance among patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasm grade 3.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present retrospective study analyzed clinical data from patients aged at least 45 years with cervical intraepithelial neoplasm grade 3 who had undergone successful cold knife conization and attended regular follow-up at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, China, between January 1, 2002 and December 31, 2012. HPV clearance rates and potential indicators for HPV clearance were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data from 156 patients were included; persistent high-risk HPV infection was recorded in 78 (50.0%), 45 (28.8%), 35 (22.4%), 24 (15.4%), and 21 (13.5%) patients at 4, 8, 12, 18, and 24 months after conization, respectively. Clearance rates were significantly lower among patients aged at least 55 years compared with younger patients, with increased odds of persistent HPV infection at 8 months (odds ratio [OR] 4.038; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.766-10.839), 12 months (OR 5.923; 95% CI 2.450-16.604), 18 months (OR 5.957; 95% CI 2.031-17.469), and 24 months (OR 5.327; 95% CI 1.909-17.971) compared with patients aged 45-49 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Age was a prognostic factor for post-operative high-risk HPV infection clearance. Lower clearance rates were observed among patients aged at least 55 years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Guorui
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jinghe
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Keng
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Lan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiang
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002681:China; D019092:Conization; D003452:Cryosurgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000601:surgery; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery* / Q000821:virology; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000601:surgery* / Q000821:virology
keywords: CIN grade 3; Clearance of HPV; Conization