Objectives: To evaluate the frequency and correlates of non-adherence to follow-up among patients conservatively treated for CIN2-3.
Study design: Study population comprised 1560 patients aged 25-64 years from a screening programme in northern Italy. The regional standard protocol was used as a reference. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the odds ratio probability of a patient being lost to follow-up (no check-ups within 27 months of treatment) or incompletely followed-up (1-3 negative check-ups) versus having 4 negative check-ups.
Results: Three hundred twenty-six patients (21%) were lost to follow-up, 678 (43%) were incompletely followed-up, 352 (23%) presented for 4 negative check-ups and 204 (13%) were diagnosed with persistent disease. The probability of no or incomplete follow-up was greater for patients who lived in the urban district, who were treated in private settings (versus screening centres), who exhibited a visibile squamocolumnar junction on pre-treatment colposcopy, who were treated with cold knife excision and local destructive therapy (versus loop diathermy excision), and whose surgical specimens had positive excision margins.
Conclusions: Adherence to the reference protocol was poor. Factors involved in follow-up failures require greater clinical attention.