Kaposi's Sarcoma in Homosexual Men

doi:10.1059/0003-4819-100-6-809

Kaposi's Sarcoma in Homosexual Men

A Seroepidemiologic Case-Control Study

New York, New York

Abstract

The cases of 20 male homosexuals with Kaposi's sarcoma and the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome were compared with those of 40 age- and race-matched male homosexual controls. Patients with Kaposi's sarcoma had lower OKT4/OKT8 (T-helper/T-suppressor) ratios than controls, due to smaller numbers of 0KT4 cells. Serum IgG concentrations and antibody titers to cytomegalovirus in patients exceeded those in controls, but patients had lower antibody titers to Epstein-Barr virus. Logistic regression analysis comparing patients with controls showed significant relative risks for Kaposi's sarcoma associated with the number of partners per month in receptive anal-genital intercourse, occasions per month of "fisting," and cytomegalovirus antibody titers. Cytomegalovirus titers also were inversely correlated with OKT4 cell concentrations in the control group. Significantly greater OKT4 cell concentrations were found at diagnosis in HLA-DR5-positive patients than in HLA-DR5-negative patients. Patients who have HLA-DR5 may express disease at lesser degrees of immunodeficiency than HLA-DR5-negative patients.

Article and Author Information

▸From the Institute of Environmental Medicine and the Departments of Dermatology, Microbiology, Pathology, and Medicine, New York University Medical Center; Manhattan Veterans Administration Hospital; Virology Laboratory, Montefiore Hospital and Medical Center; and the Lindsley F. Kimball Research Laboratory, New York Blood Center; New York, New York.
Grant support: in part by PHS center grant ES00260 awarded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; center grants CA13343 and CA16087 and research grants 1RO1 CA33205 awarded by the National Cancer Institute; grant AM 01431 awarded by the National Institute of Arthritis, Diabetes, and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; and grants from the Playboy Foundation, Cancer Research Institute, American Cancer Society (grant RD-150), Howard Gilman Foundation, and Bernhill Fund.
▸Requests for reprints should be addressed to: Michael Marmor, Ph.D.; Institute of Environmental Medicine, New York University Medical Center, 341 East 25th Street, 2nd Floor; New York, NY 10010-2598.