The effect of time interval between referral and colposcopy on detection of human papillomavirus DNA and on outcome of biopsy

Abstract

Objective: This study was undertaken to assess the effect of the time interval between referral cytology and the outcome of colposcopically directed biopsy in relation to human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA detected by polymerase chain reaction in women referred after abnormal Papanicolaou (Pap) smears. Study Design: The study enrolled 453 women who were referred for colposcopic examination after two Pap smears were reported as atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) or low-grade intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) and 553 women who were referred with a single smear reported as high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL). Results: The results in both patient groups were evaluated in time intervals of 60 days or more, 61 to 120 days, and more than 120 days between referral and colposcopy. A higher proportion of white women than African American women and Hispanic women were seen within 60 days after referral in both referral groups. Women of all race/ethnic backgrounds referred with HSIL were seen within 60 days in a significantly larger proportion than women referred with ASCUS/LSIL. Women referred with ASCUS/LSIL had an increasing frequency of negative HPV findings with the prolonged time intervals. In women referred with a single smear of HSIL, there was a significantly decreasing trend over time in detection of low-risk and unidentified types of HPV and an increasing trend of HPV DNA negative results. Conclusion: The frequency of high-risk HPV DNA was similar in patients referred with ASCUS/LSIL or HSIL. In both referral groups, there was a time-dependent increase of negative biopsy results and a decreased frequency of low-risk HPV or of unidentified HPV types. This suggests that the initial abnormality on the Pap smear associated with other than high-risk HPV types may regress over time. The presence of high-risk HPV DNA does not predict the actual histologically verifiable tissue changes but indicates a lower probability of negative biopsy results in all time intervals between referral and biopsy.