title: [Influence of highly active antiretroviral therapy on the evolution of AIDS-associated Kaposi's sarcoma].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To evaluate the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in the Kaposi's sarcoma evolution.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of a cohort of 126 HIV infected patients suffering from Kaposi's sarcoma with or without HAART. Clinical evolution, immunological status (CD4+ cell count) and response to therapy (HIV-RNA plasma viral load and human herpes-8 virus determination).
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients without HAART died and the cumulate probability survival (SD) among those who received HAART was 2.078 (74) days. The CD4+ count at baseline in the HAART group was 130 (125) * 106/l and the HIV-RNA viral load was 196,818 (244,195) copies/ml while at the moment of the clinical response was 235 (209) * 106/l CD4 + and 2,629 (6.444) copies/ml, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HAART prolongs survival in HIV patients suffering from Kaposi's sarcoma. There is a clear relationship among clinical response, HAART and immunological recovery.
authors.affiliation: Dermatología. Hospital Clínic. Barcelona. malcina@clinic.ub.es  
authors.lastname: Mercè Alsina M
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bulla
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Conill
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mallolas
authors.lastname: Bernardo Pérez-Cuevas J
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lecha
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000209:etiology*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D019562:Viral Load