The study, published in the European Heart Journal, found that the risk of death from cardiovascular diseases quadruples for women infected with high-risk HPV strains. HPV infections are extremely common, and high-risk HPV strains are known to increase the risk of cervical cancer. Previous research had suggested that HPV could also contribute to the formation of dangerous arterial plaques, making this the first study to demonstrate the link between HPV infection and mortality from cardiovascular diseases.

The research was led by Professors Seungho Ryu, Yoosoo Chang, and Hae Suk Cheong at the medical faculty of Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul, South Korea. "Despite our better control over some well-known risk factors for heart disease – such as smoking, high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, or diabetes – compared to a few decades ago, cardiovascular diseases still lead the causes of death. Notably, these traditional risk factors do not explain all cardiovascular diseases; 20 percent of those with such problems do not have these risk factors, underscoring the importance of identifying additional modifiable risk factors," the authors declared.

"Our study focuses on the exploration of HPV as a potential risk factor for mortality related to the circulatory system," the researchers stated.

HOW WAS THE STUDY CONDUCTED?

The study included 163,250 young and middle-aged South Korean women who had no preexisting cardiovascular diseases at the start of the research. As part of their mandatory health screenings, they were tested for 13 high-risk HPV strains from cervical samples. The participants underwent these health check-ups on an average of every 1-2 years for about 8.5 years.

Researchers were able to compare the outcomes of the women's HPV tests with the national death registry, which includes causes of death such as heart disease and stroke. Despite the relatively young and initially healthy population, the overall risk of death from cardiovascular diseases in the group was quite low (9.1 out of 100,000). However, even after accounting for all known cardiovascular risk factors, the study found that those carrying high-risk HPV had 3.91 times higher risk of arterial occlusion, 3.74 times higher risk of death from heart disease, and a 5.86 times higher risk of death from stroke, compared to those without such infections. The risks were even higher in women who were overweight and had high-risk HPV infections.

"We know that inflammation plays a central role in the development and progression of cardiovascular diseases, and viral infections can initiate inflammation," Professor Cheong explained. "We primarily recognize HPVs in relation to cervical cancer, but an increasing body of research suggests that these viruses can also be found in the bloodstream. It is possible that the virus causes inflammation in the arterial walls, contributing to their damage and blockage, thus increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases."

"Our study emphasizes the importance of comprehensive treatment for patients infected with high-risk HPVs," Professor Cheong continued. "Physicians treating patients carrying high-risk HPV should closely monitor their cardiovascular health, especially if these patients are also overweight or have additional risk factors. Such patients must be aware of not only the increased risk of cervical cancer but also the increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. They should regularly participate in medical screenings and attempt to mitigate the increased risk of cardiovascular diseases with a healthy lifestyle."

The authors stress that further research is needed to clarify whether high-risk HPVs have a similar effect in men, and whether HPV vaccines help prevent deaths from cardiovascular diseases. "If our findings are confirmed, they could have a significant impact on public health strategies," added Professor Ryu. "For instance, increasing vaccination rates against HPV could be an effective strategy for reducing long-term cardiovascular risks."

ANOTHER ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF VACCINATION

In an editorial accompanying the publication, Professor James S. Lawson from the University of New South Wales (Sydney, Australia) notes: "Evidence suggesting that viruses in general, and HPV in particular, increase the risk of adverse outcomes from atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases further highlights the recognized importance of vaccinations against influenza, SARS-CoV-2, and HPV. The arguments that HPVs play a causative role in the initiation and progression of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases are already quite plausible, but they will become truly convincing when randomized clinical trials confirm that HPV vaccines aimed at preventing cervical cancer also reduce the incidence of atherosclerotic vascular disease."