2.1 | Setting and study design
From January 2017 to June 2019, women ≥21 years old with histologic LSIL (CIN1) by colposcopy-guided biopsy preceded by AHPV-positive/normal or mildly abnormal cytology were prospectively recruited in the Huzhou Maternity & Child Health Care Hospital. Women were excluded from the study based on the following criteria: 1) preceded by cytology of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL), atypical squamous cell cannot exclude HSIL (ASC-H), atypical glandular cells (AGC), or adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS); 2) previous history of CIN, cervical cancer, or other malignancies; 3) previous therapeutic procedure performed on the cervix; 4) immunosuppression; and 5) pregnancy. After providing written informed consent, each woman completed a questionnaire administered by a trained gynaecologist regarding risk factors for hrHPV infection before clinical examination.