Fw. Dawkins et al., HIV-1-ASSOCIATED KAPOSIS-SARCOMA IN A PREDOMINANTLY BLACK-POPULATION AT AN INNER-CITY HOSPITAL, Southern medical journal, 91(6), 1998, pp. 546-549
Background. Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) associated with human immunodeficien
cy virus type 1 (HIV-1) is the most common malignancy in patients with
AIDS. It has been most commonly reported in white homosexual men, tho
ugh a few cases have been reported in blacks,. Methods. We conducted a
retrospective analysis of all HIV-1 seropositive patients with biopsy
-proven KS seen at Howard University Hospital between February 1985 an
d June 1995. Results. Of the 73 patients identified, 66 (90%), 4 were
white, 2 were Hispanic, and 1 was of unidentified race. The median age
was 32 years. Forty-eight (66%) were homosexual or bisexual men, and
10 (14%) were homosexual or bisexual with a history of intravenous dru
g use (IDU). A history of IDU or blood transfusion was the only risk f
actor in 7 (9%) and 2 (3%), respectively. The other 6 (8)% were hetero
sexual. The median survival was 2.2 years. A CD4 count <200 and the pr
esence of an opportunistic infection were associated with shortened su
rvival. Conclusions. The predominant risk factor for HIV-1-associated
KS was homosexual or bisexual activity. Only a few women with KS were
identified, and they also reported sexual transmission from male bisex
uals and/or drug users. Poor survival was associated with CD4 <200, st
age III and IV KS at presentation, and opportunistic infections.