[Behaviour of HIV/AIDS-related lymphoma in Pedro Kouri Institute. 2004-2005]

A prospective and descriptive study of 20 patients infected with HIV and admitted to "Pedro Kouri" Institute of Tropical Disease after a diagnosis of lymphoma was conducted. They were all evaluated at the onset of diagnosis by a thorough medical record exam and supportive studies such as complete blood count, globular sedimentation speed, CD4+ count, lactic acid dehydrogenase, HIV viral load, cytology and biopsy. Of this number, 85% presented with CD4+ count under 350 cell/mm3 at the time of diagnosis; however, only 55% showed viral loads exceeding 50,000 copies/mL. The predominant histological subtype was large diffuse cells and the most frequent location was the extrapulmonary site in 70% of cases. It called our attention that high levels of lactic acid dehydrogenase and extrapulmonary location of tumors were related. Statistically significant association was found (p < 0.05) between immunosuppresion condition of the patients given by CD4+ count below 350 cell/mm3 and advanced staging of the tumoral disease (stages III and IV).