Colposcopic assessment of the lower genital tract in female renal transplant recipients.

The incidence of epithelial or cutaneous abnormality of the lower genital tract was studied colposcopically in 31 women aged 35 (SD9) years on renal replacement therapy for one to 184 months (mean 73 months). Twenty-four women had a renal transplant and had received immunosuppressive therapy for two to 173 months (mean 61 months). Seven women (two with failed transplants) were on home hemodialysis (one to 48 months, mean 19 months) awaiting transplantation. In 22 women (17 transplant and 5 dialysis patients) no abnormality was found. One hemodialysis patient had an extensive area of vulval intra-epithelial neoplasia. Five transplant recipients had evidence of genital papilloma virus (HPV) infection. No patient had cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia or invasive genital tract malignancy. The high incidence of HPV-associated lesions in this group, and the increasing evidence that HPV changes may predispose to cervical neoplasia suggest that this high risk group require regular gynecological assessment.