Background: High-resolution anoscopy-guided biopsies are the gold standard for identifying anal intraepithelial neoplasia, but diagnosing high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions depends on the skills of the anoscopist.
Objective: This study aims to validate the high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion detection rate as a quality assurance metric for high-resolution anoscopy in HIV-positive men.
Design: This is a retrospective study.
Setting: This study was conducted at 3 HIV outpatient clinics in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Patients: HIV-positive men who have sex with men were selected for this study.
Main outcome measures: We analyzed the high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion detection rate per high-resolution anoscopy, the mean number of biopsies taken, and the mean high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion rate per biopsy in time-subsequent groups for 7 anoscopists performing high-resolution anoscopy.
Results: Seven anoscopists performed high-resolution anoscopy in 1340 HIV-positive men who have sex with men. The overall high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion detection rate for all 7 anoscopists combined increased significantly over time, from 27% to 40% (p < 0.001; OR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.08-1.23 per 50 high-resolution anoscopies). The mean number of biopsies increased significantly from 1.4 (22% high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions per biopsy) to 2.0 biopsies per patient (29% high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions per biopsy) (p < 0.001). Three anoscopists showed a significant increase in proportion of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions per biopsy with increasing experience.
Limitations: There were statistically significant differences, with limited clinical significance, in the characteristics of patient populations between anoscopists and clinics.
Conclusions: We found significant variations in the high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion detection rate among anoscopists performing high-resolution anoscopy in HIV-positive men who have sex with men. The high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion detection rate and mean high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion rate per biopsy can be used as a quality assurance metric to follow up the learning curve of high-resolution anoscopists. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/A555.