title: National case-control study of Kaposi's sarcoma and Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in homosexual men: Part 1. Epidemiologic results.
abstract: To identify risk factors for the occurrence of Kaposi's sarcoma and Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in homosexual men, we conducted a case-control study in New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. Fifty patients (cases) (39 with Kaposi's sarcoma, 8 with pneumocystis pneumonia, and 3 with both) and 120 matched homosexual male controls (from sexually transmitted disease clinics and private medical practices) participated in the study. The variable most strongly associated with illness was a larger number of male sex partners per year (median, 61 for patients; 27 and 25 for clinic and private practice controls, respectively). Compared with controls, cases were also more likely to have been exposed to feces during sex, have had syphilis and non-B hepatitis, have been treated for enteric parasites, and have used various illicit substances. Certain aspects of a lifestyle shared by a subgroup of the male homosexual population are associated with an increased risk of Kaposi's sarcoma and pneumocystis pneumonia.
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000209:etiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009566:Nitrates; D000439:Pentanols; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000209:etiology*; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000209:etiology*; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs; D009566:Nitrates; D000439:Pentanols; C036285:amyl nitrate