| Abstract: | Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune multi‐system disease with a variable course and prognosis. Significant immunosuppressive therapy is occasionally required to control active disease. It remains uncertain from existing studies whether patients with SLE have an increased incidence of abnormality on cervical smears. Previous studies of abnormalities on cervical smears in SLE are flawed, mostly because of small size of the lupus cohort examined. In Nortern Ireland, we are particularly fortunate to have a stable population and a good regional pathology database, which records the cervical screening history for all women in the province. Due to other reports of genitourinary cancers developing in SLE patients with or without cytotoxic medication, we are currently reviewing our experience to date, to confirm if patients with SLE have an increased incidence of abnormality on cervical smears, and if so, if this is related to disease activity, pre‐disposition to infection or treatment, and to perform a real‐time cervical smear analysis of our SLE patients as well as HPV status. HPV infection is known to be a risk factor for cervical cancer. However any role with regard to SLE and cervical abnormality is yet to be defined. Lupus patients may be either immunosuppressed or suffer immune deficits as a result of disease and may be more prone to develop HPV infection. This research will be able to identify if the SLE population in NI have a different pattern of abnormality on cervical smears and if they have a different or more frequent prevalence of HPV. These changes if present can then be related directly to the disease, it's activity or treatment. Though this research is currently underway, sufficient results are currently not available for statistical analysis to be documented in this abstract, but will be by September for the BSCC. |
