Characteristics of HIV-1-associated Kaposi's sarcoma among women and men in South Africa.
Despite the increase of HIV-1-associated Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), little is known about HIV-associated KS in the African setting, particularly among women. A descriptive study of the demographic, clinical, immunological and virological features of AIDS-associated KS from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa was undertaken. Consecutively, recruited patients were clinically staged; CD4/CD8 cell counts, HIV-1 viral loads and clinical parameters were evaluated. Of the 152 patients (77 male and 75 female) 99% were black. Females were significantly younger (P = 0.02) and had poorer disease prognosis (odds ratio [OR] = 2.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.4-5.4, P = 0.003) and were more likely to have extensive cutaneous KS when compared with males (OR = 3.1, 95% CI = 1.4-6.7, P = 0.003). One-third of patients had coexisting HIV-related disease, most commonly tuberculosis, and these were more frequent in females (56.7 vs. 43.3%). In conclusion, HIV-associated KS in South Africans has an equal female-to-male ratio. Females are younger and have more severe disease than males.
Mosam
A
A
Department of Dermatology, Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa. mosama@ukzn.ac.za
Hurkchand
H P
HP
Cassol
E
E
Page
T
T
Cassol
S
S
Bodasing
U
U
Aboobaker
J
J
Dawood
H
H
Friedland
G H
GH
Coovadia
H M
HM
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology