[Kaposi's sarcoma during HIV infection in Morocco (apropos of 50 cases)]

Kaposi's sarcoma is the most common neoplasm to be found among AIDS patients. The purpose of this retrospective study is to determine the epidemiological, clinical, therapeutic features and the evolution of Kaposi's sarcoma in Moroccan patients suffering from AIDS. Between January 1987 and December 1999, 696 patients with AIDS were hospitalized in the department of infectious diseases of Casablanca. Fifty of them (7%) had Kaposi's sarcoma. AIDS was confirmed by ELISA and Western-Blot. The diagnosis of Kaposi's sarcoma was established by clinical aspect and I or by histologically study. It concerned 46 men and 4 women. The average age was 32.5 years. The homosexuality was noted in 38% of patients and the heterosexuality in 56% of cases. AIDS was revealed by Kaposi's sarcoma in 82% of cases. The Lesions were found in the skin (96%), in the skin and mucous membranes (56%), in the lung (14%), in the gastrointestinal tract (12%) and in the lymphatic nodes (8%). The average CD4 cells count was 212.8/mm3. The chemotherapy was instituted in 43 patients and the radiotherapy in 5 patients (alone or associated with chemotherapy). Four patients received HAART. Six patients didn't received any treatment. The evolution has been characterized by the death in 61% of patients. This death was due to Kaposi's sarcoma in six patients and to opportunistic infections in the others cases. Our study demonstrates the high incidence of Kaposi's sarcoma as an inaugurating event of AIDS, the severity of the visceral involvement, the limit of our therapeutic materials and the wrong prognosis of this disease.