The degree to which the resolution of human papillomavirus (HPV)
infection parallels exposure to other factors, particularly those related to nutritional status, is a relatively unexplored area of research. We established a cohort of women for long-term follow-up to examine the association of serum
retinol,
carotenoid, and
tocopherol concentrations with the clearance of incident cervical
HPV infection. Interviews and
biological specimens were obtained at baseline and at 4-month intervals. At each visit, a cervical cell specimen for HPV
DNA analysis and cytology and a fasting blood sample to measure
micronutrient levels were collected. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to study the relationship between clearance of 189 incident (type-specific) oncogenic
HPV infections and the levels of 20 serum
micronutrients among 122 women. Higher circulating levels of trans-
zeaxanthin, total trans-
lutein/
zeaxanthin,
cryptoxanthin (total and beta), total trans-
lycopene and cis-
lycopene,
carotene (alpha, beta, and total), and total
carotenoids were associated with a significant decrease in the clearance time of type-specific
HPV infection, particularly during the early stages of
infection (<or=120 days). HPV clearance time was also significantly shorter among women with the highest compared with the lowest serum levels of
alpha-tocopherol and total-
tocopherol, but significant trends in these associations were limited to
infections lasting <or=120 days. Clearance of persistent
HPV infection (lasting >120 days) was not significantly associated with circulating levels of
carotenoids or
tocopherols. Results from this investigation support an association of
micronutrients with the rapid clearance of incident oncogenic
HPV infection of the uterine cervix.