PREVALENCE OF HPV DNA IN CERVICAL SPECIMENS IN WOMEN WITH RENAL-TRANSPLANTS - A COMPARISON WITH DIALYSIS-DEPENDENT PATIENTS AND PATIENTS WITH RENAL IMPAIRMENT

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of human papillomav irus (HPV) DNA in women who had received a renal transplant and to com pare this with two control groups. Women who had a functioning renal t ransplant for greater than 6 months (n=69) were compared with women on maintenance dialysis (n=89) and women with impaired renal function (c reatinine 0.15-0.39 mmol/1) (n=22). Women were excluded if they had ha d a hysterectomy, were older than 65 years, or were not yet sexually a ctive. A questionnaire and cervical scrape were obtained from each par ticipant. The cervical scrape was analysed for HPV DNA using PCR and t he L1 consensus primers. The participation rate of transplant patients , dialysis patients and those with impaired renal function ('normal' g roup) was 69, 68, and 78% respectively. The characteristics of the thr ee groups of women at enrollment were similar. No cytological abnormal ities were present in the 'normal' population but 11 of 89 patients on maintenance dialysis and nine of 69 transplant patients had cytologic al abnormalities of atypia or greater (P=0.08 and P=0.07, for 'normal' compared to dialysis and transplant groups respectively). One (4.5%) of the 'normal' women had evidence of HPV DNA, while 18 (20%) of patie nts on maintenance dialysis and 15 (22%) of transplant patients were p ositive (P=0.07 and P=0.05, for 'normal' compared to dialysis and tran splant groups respectively). This study suggests that not only transpl ant recipients but also dialysis patients may have a higher prevalence of risk factors (cytological abnormalities and HPV DNA) for the devel opment of cervical cancer.