Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) in HIV-infected women

Background: to determine the effect of HIV infection on cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. Methods: retrospective study. Results: the sensitivity and specificity of Papanicolaou tests (PAP smear) were 94% and 80%. Patients with a normal Pap smear had higher CD4+ cell count compared to patients with squamous intraepithelial lesions but the difference was not statistically significant (Mann-Whitney test). The distribution of cervical dysplasia was similar regardless of antiretroviral therapy (chi(2) test). 22% of surgically treated women had persistent or recurrent disease. Conclusions: lower CD4+ cell counts are not predictive of the presence of cervical dysplasia. All HIV-infected women, independently from their immunological and clinical conditions, need regular PAP smears with appropriate follow-up for abnormal results.