[Chlamydia infection in patients with and without cervical intra-epithelial lesions].

Objectives: To determine the frequency of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in patients with and without intraepithelial cervical lesions attended at specialized ambulatory in Recife (2007) and its association with biologic and demographic variables, habits, reproductive, clinical and gynecologic characteristics.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted including 70 women (35 with cytological cervical lesions and 35 with normal smears). Colposcopy and biopsy when necessary were performed and Chlamydia infection was determined by direct immunofluorescence. Analysis variables were age, race, precedence, schooling, marital status, menarche, age at first sexual intercourse, parity, number of sexual partners, vaginal discharge, previous Pap smear, STD episodes, cervical cauterization, contraceptive methods, familial antecedents of cervical cancer, alcohol intake, use of illicit and immunosuppressive drugs, Papanicolaou result and cervical Chlamydia l infection. To determine the strength of association prevalence ratio (PR) and its 95% confidence interval were calculated. Multivariate analysis was performed for controlling potentially confounding variables.

Results: the frequency of Chlamydia l infection was significantly greater in patients with intraepithelial cervical lesions (80.0% vs. 14.3%; PR=5.60; 95% CI=2.44-12.82). When the factors associated with Chlamydia l infection were analyzed, the only variable that remained significantly associated after multivariate analysis was previous episode of STD (OR=63.47; 95% CI=13.93-289.09).

Conclusion: Chlamydia trachomatis infection is associated with intraepithelial cervical lesions and history of STD should be considered for treatment and follow-up of these patients.