Highly active antiretroviral therapy and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has improved HIV prognosis, but its effect on cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), which is associated with HIV, is uncertain. Among 71 HAART-treated women the prevalence of CIN before HAART was 55%. After a median of 10 months after starting HAART the prevalence had increased to 62% (P = 0.20); 13% of patients experienced regression of a CIN lesion, and this was most strongly associated with a greater increase in CD4 cell count. Such studies will provide the basis for guidelines for monitoring CIN in HIV-positive women in the HAART era.