Anal dysplasia in HIV-infected women with cervical and vulvar dysplasia

Objective. To describe the findings of high-resolution anoscopy (HRA) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected women with a history of lower genital tract dysplasia. Materials and Methods. A retrospective chart review of all HIV-infected women undergoing HRA from 2002 to 2003 was conducted. Demographic and clinical information, including the most recent cervical and vaginal cytologic results and colposcopic evaluations, were collected from medical records. These data were compared with anal cytologic and histologic findings from HRA. Results. Eight patients were identified, with a mean age of 42 years. The mean duration of known HIV infection was 12 years. All eight patients had a previous history of treatment for cervical dysplasia or carcinoma. Five patients also had a history of high-grade vulvar dysplasia. The most recent cervical and vaginal cytologic results for all patients were abnormal. Seven patients underwent HRA because of suspected anal intraepithelial neoplasia (AIN); of these, four patients had perianal warts and three had diffuse high-grade vulvar dysplasia. One patient was referred for HRA because of high-grade dysplasia on vaginal cytologic analysis with a negative colposcopic and urologic evaluation. All eight patients (100%) had abnormal anal cytologic results with histologically proven AIN. Five patients had AIN 2,3, and three patients had AIN 1 and anal condyloma. Two of the three patients with AIN 1 had high-grade perianal dysplasia. Conclusions. High-resolution anoscopy identified anal dysplasia in 100% of eight HIV-infected women with human papilloma virus-related dysplasia of the lower genital tract. High-resolution anoscopy should be considered as part of the evaluation for the extent of disease in HIV-infected women with cervical and vaginal dysplasia, condyloma, and dysplasia of the perineum.