Women With High-Risk HPV Have Increased Risk for Heart Disease

FRIDAY, Feb. 9, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Women with high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infection have an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to a study published online Feb. 7 in the European Heart Journal.

Hae Suk Cheong, M.D., Ph.D., from Kangbuk Samsung Hospital in Seoul, South Korea, and colleagues examined the associations between HR-HPV infection and CVD mortality in a study involving 163,250 CVD-free Korean women (mean age, 40.2 years) who underwent HR-HPV screening and were followed for a median of 8.6 years.

The researchers identified 134 CVD deaths during 1,380,953 person-years of follow-up, with mortality rates of 9.1 and 14.9 per 100,000 person-years for HR-HPV(−) and HR-HPV(+) women, respectively. For women with versus those without HR-HPV infection, the hazard ratios for atherosclerotic CVD (ASCVD), ischemic heart disease, and stroke mortality were 3.91, 3.74, and 5.86, respectively, after adjustment for traditional CVD risk factors and confounders. The association between HR-HPV infection and ASCVD mortality was stronger for women with versus those without obesity (hazard ratios, 4.81 and 2.86, respectively).

"This study highlights the importance of comprehensive care for patients with high-risk HPV. Clinicians should monitor cardiovascular health in patients with high-risk HPV, particularly those with obesity or other risk factors," Cheong said in a statement. "It's important for people with high-risk HPV to be aware of the potential for both heart disease and cervical cancer risks."

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