Diagnostic methods for prevention of anal cancer and characteristics of anal lesions caused by HPV in men with HIV/AIDS

ABSTRACT

Abnormalities found with anuscopy under colposcopic vision, anal cytology and anal biopsy were evaluated in 21 men with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) at the Federal University of Pernambuco Hospital in Brazil. Mean age was 38.4 ± 6.0 years, and mean time of HIV infection was 8.3 ± 5.1 years; 95.2 percent of the patients had been on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for an average of 6.6 ± 4.5 years. Mean CD4+ cell count was 482.2 ± 173.75 cells/mm³, and 80.9 percent presented a HIV viral load of < 5,000 copies/mL. Reported sexual preference was 52.4 percent homosexuals, 28.6 percent bisexuals, and 19.0 percentheterosexuals; 81 percent reported having had receptive anal intercourse and 61.9 percent reported more than 10 sexual partners of the same sex. Results of anuscopy under colposcopic vision revealed 17 (81.0 percent) low-grade lesions and/or condylomata or micropapillae and four (19.0 percent) high-grade lesions with or without condylomata. Among the 21 anal cytology examinations, seven (33.3 percent) revealed low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL); three (14.3 percent) presented atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) and 11 (52.4 percent) were normal. Seventeen patients were submitted to anal biopsy with the following findings: three patients (17.6 percent) with normal epithelium, one (5.9 percent) with infection by HPV, three (17.6 percent) with condylomatas, two (11.8 percent) with AIN 1, four (23.6 percent) with AIN 2, three (17.6 percent) with AIN 3, and one (5.9 percent) with PAIN 2. Anuscopy under colposcopic vision was found to be useful for detecting anal lesions and for guiding anal biopsies. Anal cytology was less useful, as it underestimated the frequency of lesions.