Increased risk for opportunistic infections during chemotherapy in HIV-infected patients with Kaposi's sarcoma.
BACKGROUND
Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is the most frequent neoplasm in patients with AIDS, responsible for death in about 20-30% of the affected patients.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the frequency of opportunistic infections (OI) and change of CD4+ cell counts in patients with KS treated with chemotherapy compared to a group of matched-pair patients without chemotherapy.


METHODS
In a prospective study, the clinical courses of 35 HIV-infected patients with KS treated with chemotherapy were compared with 35 matched-pair patients without chemotherapy.


RESULTS
During the observation period of 6 months, 11 OI occurred in 10 patients of the chemotherapy group and 5 OI in 5 patients of the control group. With respect to the changes of CD4+ cell counts, no significant differences could be observed.


CONCLUSIONS
The risk for OI in HIV-infected patients with KS is increased while receiving chemotherapy. This should be reflected upon when chemotherapy is taken into consideration.
Plettenberg
A
A
Department of Dermatology, General Hospital St. Georg, Germany.
van Dyk
U
U
Stoehr
A
A
Albrecht
H
H
Stellbrink
H J
HJ
Berger
J
J
Meigel
W
W
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D000328:Adult; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000209:etiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017726:Cytomegalovirus Retinitis / Q000209:etiology; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004941:Esophagitis / Q000382:microbiology; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000209:etiology; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D001761:Bleomycin; D014750:Vincristine; D014747:Vinblastine; D005047:Etoposide; D004317:Doxorubicin