Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To triage low-grade cervical smears (ASCUS/LSIL) by HPV 16/18 genotyping and dual staining with p16/Ki67 and to compare the sensitivity and specificity of these two triage methods for detection of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (HGCIN). METHODS: In this prospective cross-sectional study, we evaluated a total of 89 women with low-grade smears (54 ASCUS, 35 LSIL) recruited from a tertiary care hospital. All patients underwent colposcopy guided cervical biopsy. Histopathology was used as gold standard. All samples were subjected to HPV 16/18 genotyping (excluding 9) using DNA PCR and p16/Ki67 dual staining (excluding 4) using Roche® kit. We then compared the two triage methods to detect high-grade cervical lesions. RESULTS: Overall, in all low-grade smears sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of HPV 16/18 genotyping, was found to be 66.7%, 77.1% and 76.2% respectively (p = 0.03). In low-grade smears sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of dual staining, was found to be 66.7%, 84.8% and 83.5% respectively (p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, in all low-grade smears the sensitivity of the two tests was comparable. However, dual staining had a higher specificity and accuracy than HPV 16/18 genotyping. It was concluded that both are effective triage methods but dual staining had a better performance than HPV 16/18 genotyping.