Pap smear outcomes in elderly women living with HIV and HIV-negative matched controls

Abstract

Objectives

To describe risk factors/incidence of abnormal cervical/vaginal cytology/histology and cancer among women living with human immunodeficiency virus (WLHIV) ≥65 years compared to HIV-negative matched controls

Study Design

Retrospective cohort of patients who underwent Pap screening at the University of Maryland 01/2003-04/2019.

Results

WLHIV and HIV-negative controls (n = 70 each) underwent 140/151 Pap tests, respectively. Among WLHIV, 29% exhibited abnormal results and were less likely than HIV-negative women with normal Paps to have had serially negative Pap tests prior to age 65 (p = .03). In both groups, 1.4% developed cervical cancer. Abnormal Paps were more frequent in WLHIV than in HIV-negative women (31% vs 10%, p < .0001, RR:3.2, 95%CI1.9–5.4) as was HRHPV (high-risk human papillomavirus) status (43% vs 19%, p = .0233, RR:2.3, 95%CI1.2–4.6). The RR for an abnormal Pap was 2.6 (95% CI:1.1–4.2) for VL >1000 copies/mL and 0.4 (95% CI:0.2–0.7) for CD4 count of >200 cells/μL. No individual with an initially normal Pap experienced an abnormal result over a mean of 42.5 and 43.5 months in the HIV-positive and HIV-negative groups, respectively.

Conclusions

HIV status was associated with a higher rate of abnormal Pap/HRHPV; however, no significant difference in cervical/vaginal cancer. Elevated VL/low CD4 count were associated with greater risk for an abnormal Pap.