Factors associated with human papillomavirus persistence after loop electrosurgical excision procedure in patients with cervical squamous intraepithelial lesion.

AIM: To seek the high-risk factors of human papillomavirus (HPV) persistence and residual lesion or recurrence after loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) focus on the predictive value of intraoperative human papilloma virus (IOP-HPV) testing.

METHODS: Intraoperative endocervical sample was obtained with a cytobrush from the remained cervix of 292 patients immediately after LEEP. HPV Genotyping was performed using a polymerase chain reaction technique. All patients followed by HPV genotyping and cytology every 3-6 months. The IOP-HPV testing results and possible risk factors such as age, cytology grade, menopause status, margin involvement, preoperative HPV status, and cervical lesion grade were assessed in predicting persistence of HPV and residual lesion or recurrence after surgery.

RESULTS: There were 61 (20.9%) patients presented persistent HPV infection. Multivariate analyses showed that IOP-HPV positive, post-menopause and preoperative HPV multiplex infection was strongly associated with HPV persistence after LEEP, IOP-HPV positive and post-menopause was also associated with residua or recurrent disease after LEEP.

CONCLUSIONS: IOP-HPV positive, post-menopause, and preoperative HPV multiplex infection are independent predictors of HPV persistence in patients with cervical squamous intraepithelial lesion treated by LEEP. IOP-HPV test is a new approach that may potentially allow for early identification of patients at high risk of HPV persistence and residua or recurrent disease after LEEP, thereby possibly facilitate an attenuated follow-up schedule for negative patients those at low risk of persistent HPV infection.