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Folate deficiency and cervical dysplasia
C E Butterworth1, K D Hatch, M Macaluso
1Department of Nutrition Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Alabama, Birmingham 35294-3360.
JAMA
|February 1, 1992
Summary
Nutritional deficiency, specifically low red blood cell folate, significantly increases the risk of cervical dysplasia in young women, especially when combined with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.
Area of Science:
- Gynecology
- Nutritional Science
- Oncology
Background:
- Cervical dysplasia is a precancerous condition affecting young women.
- Understanding risk factors, including nutritional status, is crucial for prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between nutritional deficiency and the incidence of cervical dysplasia in young women.
- To determine if specific nutrient levels impact the risk of developing cervical dysplasia.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 726 women screened from family-planning clinics and colposcopy referrals.
- Logistic regression models were used to assess associations between cervical dysplasia and various factors, including 12 nutritional indices from blood specimens.
- Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and nutrient levels were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Significant associations were found between cervical dysplasia and number of sexual partners, parity, oral contraceptive use, and HPV-16 infection.
- Plasma nutrient levels generally showed no association with risk.
- Low red blood cell folate levels (< 660 nmol/L) significantly interacted with HPV-16 infection, increasing the adjusted odds ratio for HPV-16 to 5.1.
Conclusions:
- Low red blood cell folate levels potentiate the risk of cervical dysplasia.
- Folate deficiency particularly enhances the effect of HPV-16 infection in the development of cervical dysplasia.
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