Epidemiological, clinical and viral determinants of the increased prevalence of high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infections in elderly women
Syrjänen, K.; Kulmala, S.M.; Shabalova, I.; Petrovichev, N.; Kozachenko, V.; Zakharova, T.; Pajanidi, J.; Podistov, J.; Chemeris, G.; Sozaeva, L.; Lipova, E.; Tsidaeva, I.; Ivanchenko, O.; Pshepurko, A.; Zakharenko, S.; Nerovjna, R.; Kljukina, L.; Erokhina, O.; Branovskaja, M.; Nikitina, M.; Grunjberga, V.; Grunjberg, A.; Juschenko, A.; Santopietro, R.; Cintorino, M.; Tosi, P.; Syrjänen, S.
European Journal of Gynaecological Oncology 29(2): 114-122
2008
ISSN/ISBN: 0392-2936 PMID: 18459542 Document Number: 624021
Background: Population-based studies have reported a second peak of human papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence among women > 55 years, but reasons for this U-shaped HPV prevalence curve are poorly understood. Objectives: To analyse determinants of high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) infections among postmenopausal women. Study design and Methods: A cohort of 3,187 women was stratified into three age categories: i) youngest age group < 25 years (n = 1.103); ii) women between 26-55 years (n = 2.004), and iii) women > 55 years (n = 80), analysed for epidemiological, clinical and virological determinants of their HR-HPV infections. Real-time PCR was used for HPV genotyping, analysis of viral loads for HPV 16, 18/45, 31, 33/52/58, 35 and 39, and load of integrated HPV 16. Results: Age-standardised prevalence of HR-HPV infections showed a second peak among women > 55 years, with a perfect U-shaped curve (R-2 = 0.966). The factors explaining this increased HR-HPV prevalence among older women include: i) cohort effect, ii) higher viral loads for HR-HPV types with cubic model curve (R-2 = 0.714) for HPV 16, iii) distinct shift (p = 0.0001) from multiple-type infections to single HR-HPV types, iv) transition from episomal to integrated HPV 16 (p = 0.009), v) higher load of integrated HPV 16 (p = 0.009), and, vi) higher proportion of incident infections, higher rate of viral persistence, and lower rate of HR-HPV clearance. Conclusions: These data suggest that in women who fail to eradicate their HR-HPV infection until menopause, selection of integrated viral clone has taken place, driving the process towards progressing disease. Consequent to this, most of the HR-HPV infections in women > 55 years were associated with high-grade CIN or invasive carcinoma.