Table 1 Summary of evidence grading for meta-analysis of risk factors associated with HPV infection and pre-invasive and invasive cervical cancer outcomes — cohort studies only^a

Strong

HIV: positive vs negative (HR-HPV incidence)

IBD on immunosuppression vs healthy controls (CC incidence); VMB: dysbiosis vs no (progression to dysplasia and CIN)

Highly suggestive

HIV: positive with CD4 > 200 vs negative (HPV incidence) HIV: positive vs negative (HPV clearance)^b

HIV: positive vs negative (CC incidence)

Suggestive

HIV: positive vs negative (HPV incidence); HIV: positive vs negative (HR-HPV persistence) VMB: LL vs HL (HPV incidence); VMB: dysbiosis vs no (HPV incidence); Chlamydia tr: yes vs no (HPV incidence); smoking: yes vs no (HPV incidence)

HIV positive: on ART vs not on ART (CIN regression); HIV: positive vs negative (CIN persistence); bacterial vaginosis: yes vs no (CIN prevalence)

Weak

Smoking: yes vs no (HPV incidence); VMB: dysbiosis vs no (HPV persistence); bacterial vaginosis: yes vs no (HPV incidence); Chlamydia tr: yes vs no (HR HPV incidence); pregnant: yes vs no (HPV incidence); HIV: positive vs negative (HPV incidence, HR HPV incidence, HPV 16 incidence, HPV 18 incidence); HIV: positive with CD4 < / = 200 vs negative (HPV incidence); HIV: positive with CD4 > 200 vs negative (HR-HPV incidence); HIV: positive vs negative (prevalent and newly detected HR-HPV, HPV 16, HPV 18, HPV-any type persistence); HIV: positive vs negative (HPV 16 persistence); HIV + ve: CD4 < 200 vs CD4 > 500 (HPV persistence); HIV + ve: CD4 200–500 vs CD4 > 500 (HPV persistence)

COCP: < 5 years of use vs never (ICC incidence); COCP: 5–9 years of use vs never (ICC incidence); COCP: > 10 years of use vs never (ICC incidence); smoking: current smoker vs never (CC incidence); smoking: previous smoker vs never (CC incidence); environmental tobacco smoke exposure: increased vs lower (CC incidence); HIV: positive vs negative (CIN incidence, CIN persistence); HIV positive: on ART vs not on ART (CIN incidence^b, CIN progression^b, ICC incidence^b); transplant recipient: yes vs no (CC incidence); rheumatoid arthritis: yes vs no (CC incidence); BMI: highest vs lowest levels (CC mortality); Chlamydia tr: yes vs no (CC incidence); co-infection of Chlamydia tr and HPV: yes vs no (CC incidence)