Analysis on influencing factors of viral load in patients with high-risk human papillomavirus

Abstract

Background: High-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) load is thought to be influenced by many factors, and relationship between viral load and degree of cervical lesion is controversial. This study was to explore possible influencing factors of HR-HPV viral load in uterine cervix.Methods: 605 women who needed colposcopic evaluation for abnormal cervical screening in Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, China, between November 2017 and September 2018 were enrolled. Cervical specimens were collected from endo- and ectocervix separately using two different cervical brushes. Hybrid Capture II test was used to measure HR-HPV load. Age, histological severity, number of viral types, area and location of cervical lesions were recorded. The correlation between viral load and influencing factors was analysed using univariate and multivariate analysis.Results: HR-HPV load was positively correlated with age, histological severity, multiple HPV types and area of cervical lesions (P<0.05). Viral load with combination of endo- and ectocervical sampling was significantly higher than simple endocervical sampling (P<0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that age, multiple HPV types and area of cervical lesions were independent factors for HR-HPV load with combination of endo- and ectocervical sampling (P<0.05). However, only age and area of cervical lesions were independent factors for viral load with simple endocervical sampling (P<0.05). No significant association was found between viral load and lesion severity in multivariate analysis (P>0.05).Conclusion: HR-HPV load is influenced by age, histological severity, multiple viral types, area of cervical lesion and sampling methods. Age and area of cervical lesions are independent factors for viral load.