RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to identify risk factors associated with the persistence/recurrence of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2/3 in women submitted to loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) in a hospital in northeastern Brazil. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A case-control study included 50 women with and 50 women without persistence/recurrence of CIN2/3 after LEEP at the Instituto de Medicina Integral Prof. Fernando Figueira (IMIP) between 2004 and 2011. Data were collected from June to December 2011. Inclusion criteria were diagnosis of CIN2/3 during follow-up (cases) and women free of CIN2/3 after a follow-up of 2 years or longer (controls). Exclusion criteria (cases/controls) were LEEP performed at another hospital, LEEP performed for persistent CIN1, invasive carcinoma in the cone specimen or at cytology, and/or histopathology within a 2-year follow-up period. Persistence was defined as residual disease detected in the first year after LEEP, and recurrence was defined as the reappearance of a lesion more than 1 year after surgery. Bivariate analysis was performed for biological, sociodemographic, sexual, reproductive, lifestyle, and clinical variables. Odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated, and a multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to control for potential confounding factors. The study was approved by IMIP's internal review board. RESULTS: Multiple logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between persistence/recurrence of CIN2/3 and living outside the capital city (OR=3.11, 95% CI=1.14-8.41), smoking (OR=4.22, 95% CI=1.18-15.05), and positive endocervical margins (OR=6.58, 95% CI=2.37-18.28). CONCLUSIONS: Women with persistence/recurrence of CIN2/3 are more likely to live outside the state capital, be smokers, and have positive endocervical margins, so these women should be followed up more closely.
