To evaluate the impact of implementing the dual interpretation of atypical squamous cells, cannot exclude high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (ASC-H) and low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) after the Bethesda System 2014 and to compare it with other indeterminate interpretations.
Rates of high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) positivity and histologic follow-up and the proportion of women with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion on histologic follow-up were compared for the combined interpretation of ASC-H and LSIL (ASCHL) and the categories of LSIL, cannot exclude high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL-H) and ASC-H.
The percentage of ASCHL HPV-positive cases (86.0%) was similar to that of LSIL-H but significantly higher in comparison to that of ASC-H. The rates of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or higher (CIN 2+) and CIN 3+ for ASCHL (29.6% and 3.6%, respectively) were similar to those of LSIL-H and ASC-H. When stratified by HPV test results, the proportions of patients with CIN 2+ and CIN 3+ remained statistically similar to those with ASCHL and with LSIL-H and ASC-H.
Considering the similar risks of CIN 2+ and CIN 3+ for ASCHL and ASC-H, having a separate category of ASCHL for reporting cervical cytology appears to be redundant.