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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic multisystem autoimmune disorder affecting mainly young women during childbearing years. OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of cervical dysplasia in a group of Iraqi women with SLE and study the relationship between results of Pap smear and HPV DNA test with disease activity, disease duration and use of immunosuppressant drugs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A case controlled study was conducted on 55 women with SLE and 55 healthy controls. Full history was taken and complete physical examination including extensive gynecological evaluation was done for both groups. High vaginal swab and culture, Pap smears and HPV PCR test were done to them. RESULTS: Patients with SLE were more likely to have cervical dysplasia than control (P=0.022) with 2.1 folds increased risk. HPV infection was found to have no statistically significant difference between both studied groups (P>0.15). The C1N1 changes were significantly associated with high SLEDAI scores (P=0.030) and longer disease duration (P= 0.027). There was no significant correlation neither with the dose nor with the duration of use of immunosuppressant medications and Pap smear findings (P> 0.05). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of cervical dysplasia was higher in SLE patients than controls. Patients with SLE were more likely to have abnormal Pap smear findings which significantly and directly associated with disease duration and disease activity than controls.

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