Immunosuppressant exposure tied to guideline-congruent cervical cancer screening

Guideline-congruent screening for cervical cancer remains poor in women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), according to a study.

In addition, current immunosuppression exposure, instead of SLE disease activity, contributes to a higher likelihood of being up to date on the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP) guidelines.

This study included a total of 118 women aged 21–64 years enrolled in an institutional SLE registry. The authors manually reviewed electronic medical records to determine whether the patient was up to date on screening and which organizational guideline they used, along with other clinical variables.

Finally, adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for ASCCP-congruent screening were estimated for each baseline characteristic using multivariable logistic regression.

Of the women included in the analysis, 38 percent were up to date on ASCCP guidelines, 16 were up to date per non-ASCCP guidelines, and 46 percent were overdue for screening.

Having a gynaecologist and active treatment with immunosuppressant therapies both significantly correlated with a higher likelihood of being up to date on ASCCP guidelines. On the other hand, a Hispanic ethnicity correlated with lower odds.

“This study suggests the need for increased awareness and consensus among interdisciplinary providers regarding SLE-specific cervical cancer screening,” the authors said.

“Women with SLE are vulnerable to cervical dysplasia due to the persistence of human papillomavirus infection,” they noted.