Predictors of Absent High-grade Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN) in Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure Specimens of Patients with Colposcopic Directed Biopsy-Confirmed High-Grade CIN

OBJECTIVE: To determine predictors of having cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 1 or less in loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) specimens of patients with colposcopic directed biopsy-confirmed CIN 2-3. METHODS: Two hundred and eighty patients with colposcopic directed biopsy-confirmed CIN 2-3 who subsequently underwent LEEP were enrolled in the retrospective study. Related clinical data were collected to determine the predictors of CIN 1 or less in LEEP specimens. RESULTS: CIN 1 or less in LEEP specimens was found in 71 (25.4%) of 280 patients. Multivariate logistic regression analyses demonstrated that nulliparity [OR (95% CI) = 3.375 (1.245-9.150)], low grade Papanicolaou (Pap) results [OR (95% CI) = 6.410 (2.877-14.280)] and low grade colposcopic impression [OR (95% CI) = 16.506 (5.844-46.632)] were significant risk factors of having CIN 1 or less in LEEP specimens. Neither persistent nor recurrent CIN 2-3 was detected in 71 patients who had CIN 1 or less in LEEP specimens. However, persistent or recurrent CIN 2-3 developed in 3 out of 209 (1.4%) patients with CIN 2-3 found in LEEP specimens. CONCLUSION: Approximately 25% of patients with CIN 2-3 in colposcopic directed biopsy specimens had CIN 1 or less found in LEEP specimens. Predicting factors of having CIN 1 or less in LEEP specimens were nulliparity, low grade Pap results and low grade colposcopic impression.