
Several lines of evidence suggested that antioxidants might play a protective role against high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) infection and cervical cancer. However, the effect of combined intake of antioxidants has not been investigated thus far. The current cross-sectional study aimed to understand the relationship between dietary antioxidant intake and the risk of high-risk HPV (hrHPV) infection among 251 Italian women with normal cervical cytology. Women were tested for hrHPV using the Digene HC2 HPV DNA Test. Dietary antioxidant intakes were assessed using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire, and a Composite Dietary Antioxidant Index (CDAI) was constructed on the basis of zinc, selenium, manganese, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoid, and flavonoid intake.
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