Investigation of Transition Types of HPV DNA Test Results over Time in Korean Women

Background: Understanding the history of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection is important forinterpretation of a positive HPV DNA screening test, future work-up and treatment. We investigated the transitionof HPV DNA test results in Korean women, and analyzed the association of cytology result with transition type.Materials and
Methods: We retrospectively reviewed annual HPV DNA test results for 5,274 subjects betweenJanuary 2005 and December 2012. Each subject had a minimum of five annual tests over the eight-year period.Based on the pattern of results, the transition type for each subject was assigned to one of the following: negative,persistent, latent, transient, and unclassifiable. Associations of cytology results with the HPV DNA transition types,number of positive results, and the durations of positive results were also analyzed.
Results: The proportion ofabnormal cytology findings decreased in the following order of transition patterns: persistent, latent, transient,and negative. Among transient patterns, a duration of three years or more significantly correlated with cytologyresults of non-high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL; p<0.001). In the persistent group, duration offive years or more correlated with both non-HSIL and HSIL (p<0.001). Latent group showed no correlation withduration. Irrespective of patterns, having five or more positive results was significantly associated with HSIL(p<0.001).
Conclusions: Our findings may contribute to better understanding of HPV infection, interpretationof HPV DNA screening results, and prediction of prognosis according to transition type.