Human papillomaviruses and vulvar vestibulitis

Objective: To assess the relationship between human papillomavirus (HPV) in fection and vulvar vestibulitis syndrome. Methods: From November 1995 to December 1997, 135 women with vulvar vestibu litis were compared with 322 controls who had no evidence of vulvar vestibu litis. Human papillomavirus DNA was amplified by polymerase chain reaction and detected with liquid-capture molecular assay. Results: Human papillomavirus DNA was found in 29.6% of cases and in 23.9% of controls (relative risk [RR] 1.4; 95% confidence interval [CI] .8, 2.2). The prevalence of HPV tended to decrease with increasing duration of pain among cases. Thus, prevalences were 37.5%, 29.6%, and 22.0% for pain durati ons of 3-6 months, 7-12 months, and 13-24 months, respectively (P =.14). Pr evalence of HPV also tended to increase with pain intensity among cases, bu t that association was not statistically significant (P =.57). Prevalence p ercentages for women with low, moderate, or severe pain were 27.5%, 28.8%, and 34.4%, respectively. Prevalence of HPV was slightly higher in cases wit h the most severe pain (34.4%) than in controls (23.9%) (RR 1.8; 95% CI .8, 4.0). In cases with the most pain in the shortest time (3-6 months), preva lence of HPV was double that of controls (50% versus 23.9%) (RR 3.5; 95% CI 1.0, 12.7; P =.054). Conclusion: There was little support for the idea that HPV might be related to vulvar vestibulitis. (Obstet Gynecol 2000;95:683-7. (C) 2000 by The Ame rican College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.).