title: Disseminated Kaposi's sarcoma associated with idiopathic CD4+ lymphocytopenia and low dose steroid therapy.
abstract: A case of disseminated Kaposi sarcoma in a 76-year-old woman treated with low-dose steroids for a seronegative polyarthritis is described. HIV serology was negative, whereas PCR for HHV-8 was positive. The patient presented with a profound reduction in the peripheral blood CD4+ cell count and a decrease in serum immunoglobulins and was diagnosed as having idiopathic CD4+ lymphocytopenia. The clinical picture was characterized by limited cutaneous lesions with typical features of KS associated with widespread visceral involvement and unusually aggressive behaviour.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, Section of Clinics and Oncological Dermatology, University of Turin, Italy. mariateresa.fierro@unito.it
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Fierro
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Savoia
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Quaglino
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Novero
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Bernengo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D011241:Prednisone / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D018344:T-Lymphocytopenia, Idiopathic CD4-Positive / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D011241:Prednisone