Lack of behavioural risk factors for squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL) in HIV-infected women

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Abstract
HIV-infected women have a high prevalence of abnormal Papanicolaou smears and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. A multiparametric analysis of epidemiological and behavioural risk factors has been performed in a cohort of 204 HIV-infected women in an outpatient clinic with the aim to investigate risk factors associated with squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL) in HIV-seropositive women. The prevalence of SIL in the study population was 35.7%. Univariate and multivariate analysis of demographic, behavioural and immunological variables only identified cigarette smoking > 20/day and CD4+ cell counts < or = 200 x 10(6)/L as risk factors significantly associated with SIL in the study population. We found no epidemiological/behavioural risk factors specifically associated with SIL in HIV-infected women as compared with the general population. The results suggest that the high prevalence of SIL in HIV disease is related to acquired immune deficiency in HIV-seropositive women.

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