The effectiveness and safety of 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy in persistent HPV infection patients with or without cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: A retrospective cohort study

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy (5-ALA-PDT) in persistent HPV infection women with or without cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). From January 2021 to December 2022, 158 patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of the University of Science and Technology of China were included. Cytology, HPV testing, and biopsies were conducted. During the 3- to 6-month follow-up period, the overall HPV clearance rate reached 60.13%. Patients with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) had a significantly higher clearance rate than those with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) (64.71% vs 52.63%, P = 0.004). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed the age>35years (OR=2.785; 95%CI: 1.320∼5.878), multiple HPV-type (OR=4.027; 95%CI: 1.951∼8.313), and HSIL (OR=2.716; 95% CI:1.279∼5.769) were independent risk factors for reduced HPV clearance rates. 5-ALA-PDT demonstrates effectiveness in HPV clearance, particularly in younger patients and those with single HPV infections or without HSIL.