ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze a relation between the recurrence of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and the detection of high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA after loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP), and to evaluate the clinical efficacy of HPV DNA test by Hybrid Capture Assay as a predictor of the recurrence of CIN after LEEP. METHODS: From January 2000 through March 2003, the charts of 238 women diagnosed as CIN and treated with LEEP were reviewed retrospectively. HPV DNA test (Hybrid Capture System I) for high-risk HPV was performed in all patients before LEEP. They were followed up with Papanicolaou smears and HPV DNA tests at the interval of 3 months during the first 6 months and then at the interval of 6 months. The Chi-square test was used for the statistical analysis. RESULTS: The rate of detection of high-risk HPV declined chronologically after LEEP. A higher recurrence rate was noted in the HPV DNA positive group after LEEP, comparing with the negative group, at 3 months (54.5% in positive vs. 6.5% in negative; p<0.05), at 6 months (61.1% in positive vs. 5.4% in negative; p<0.05), at 12 months (50.0% in positive vs. 14.0% in negative; p<0.05), and at 18 months (50.0% in positive vs. 15.2% in negative; p<0.05). The negative predictive value was high at 3 months (93.5%), at 6 months (94.6%), at 12 months (86.0%), and at 18 months (84.6%). There were significant associations between the recurrence of CIN and positive resection margin except for glandular involvements. CONCLUSION: The detection of high-risk HPV is a risk factor for the presence of CIN after LEEP. HPV DNA test by Hybrid Capture Assay after LEEP may be useful marker for the negative prediction of recurrence of CIN after LEEP.