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Kaposi Sarcoma Associated with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection
Author(s) -
Hernández Dimas E.,
Pérez José Ricardo,
Wilder Jaime,
Muci Rafael
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
international journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-4632
pISSN - 0011-9059
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-4362.1991.tb04221.x
Subject(s) - medicine , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , sarcoma , virology , immunopathology , sida , viral disease , virus , immunology , pathology
In the present study, 11 patients with epidemic Kaposi sarcoma were evaluated; 55% were in stage IV and 45% in stage II; in addition, 75% had systemic symptoms, 89% had tow total and T‐lymphocyte counts, and all of them had not only low T‐helper lymphocyte counts but also T‐helper/T‐suppressor ratios. The majority of patients (89%) had low proliferative responses with phytohemaggiutinin (PHA). Nine patients were treated with: alpha‐2 interferon (five patients), zidovudine (two patients), doxorubicin and zidovudine (one patient), and radiotherapy (one patient). There were only five patients with stable disease, three treated with alpha‐2 interferon, one with doxorubicin, and one with doxorubicin plus azidothymidine. Two patients (one with doxorubicin and one with doxorubicin plus zidovudine) needed lithium to increase leukocyte and platelet counts, in May 1989, 73% of patients were dead (median survival 8 ± 2 months), it is concluded that: (1) it is important to select the patients who have the best chance to improve with treatment; (2) the response with alpha‐2 interferon or monochemotherapy is low and there is no change in overall survival; (3) a low helper cell count, low T‐helper/T‐suppressor ratio, and low proliferative response with mitogens are features of poor prognosis; (4) toxicity with treatment was acceptable; and (5) lithium increased neutrophil and platelet counts.