COLPOSCOPIC FEATURES IN WOMEN WITH HIGH-RISK HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS INFECTION AT VINMEC TIMES CITY INTERNATIONAL GENERAL HOSPITAL
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Abstract
Objective: To describe colposcopic features and assess the association between HPV16/18 infection and the severity of colposcopic abnormalities in women with high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) infection.
Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 57 women with hrHPV infection who underwent colposcopy at Vinmec Times City International General Hospital from January to December 2025.
Results: The mean age was 34.7 ± 7.9 years. Colposcopic examination was considered adequate according to the study criteria in 54/57 cases (94.7%), and the squamocolumnar junction (SCJ) was fully visualized in 45 cases (78.9%). Transformation zones (TZs) 1, 2, and 3 accounted for 35.1%, 43.9%, and 21.1%, respectively. Colposcopic abnormalities were identified in 43/57 cases (75.4%). Acetowhite epithelium was the most common finding (39/57; 68.4%), followed by fine punctation (24.6%) and fine mosaicism (19.3%). Among the 43 cases with abnormal colposcopic findings, low-grade changes accounted for 58.1%, high-grade changes for 39.5%, and one case (2.3%) had findings suspicious for invasion. Most visible lesions were located within the transformation zone (39/43; 90.7%) and were confined to one cervical quadrant (28/43; 65.1%). The proportion of high-grade colposcopic findings or findings suspicious for invasion was significantly higher among women with HPV16/18 infection than among those without detected HPV16/18 (13/20 [65.0%] vs. 5/37 [13.5%]; p<0.001).
Conclusion: Among women with high-risk HPV infection, abnormal colposcopic findings were predominantly characterized by acetowhite epithelium and low-grade changes, with TZ2 being the most common transformation zone type. High-grade colposcopic findings or findings suspicious for invasion were more frequent among women with HPV16/18 infection.
Keywords
High-risk human papillomavirus, HPV16/18, colposcopy, acetowhite epithelium, transformation zone, cervix
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References
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