Clinical characteristics and outcomes of HIV positive patients with lymphoma in an oncological reference center in Mexico City

Medicine (Baltimore). 2020 Oct 2;99(40):e22408. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000022408.

Abstract

The epidemiology of lymphomas has changed since the use of antiretroviral therapy. The incidence of Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas (NHL) has significantly decreased in high income countries but not in low and middle-income countries where AIDS-related events remain high. This observational study describes the characteristics, infectious complications and main outcomes of patients diagnosed with HIV and lymphoma at the Instituto Nacional de Cancerología.All adults >18 years diagnosed with HIV and lymphoma from January 2010 to December 2017 were included. Information on HIV and lymphoma was collected, as well as the occurrence of co-infections at diagnosis and during therapy. Multiple regression was done with NHL patients to evaluate independent variables associated to death.One hundred fifty three patients were included: 127 patients with NHL (83%) and 26 (17%) with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). Of the NHL, 49 (38%) were diffuse large B cell Lymphomas (DLBCL), 35 (27%) plasmablastic, 28 (23%) Burkitt, 10 (8%) primary DLBCL of Central Nervous system, 3 (2%) T-cell lymphomas, and 2 (2%) pleural effusion lymphoma. Most patients were diagnosed in an advanced stage: 70% of NHL had a high International Prognostic Index (IPI); 68% of patients had <200 cells/mm. Almost 25% of NHL patients had an opportunistic infection at lymphoma diagnosis. During chemotherapy, 60% of all patients presented with at least 1 serious non-opportunistic infectious complication, and 50% presented 2 or more infectious complications, mostly bacterial infections. Thirty six percent of NHL and 23% of HL died. After adjusting for confounders, the variables associated with death were IPI and lymphoma type.HIV positive patients with lymphoma in our institution are diagnosed with an advanced stage and a high burden of infections complications. Death remains high and the variables strongly associated with death are those related to lymphoma prognosis such as lymphoma type and IPI.

Publication types

  • Observational Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / epidemiology*
  • HIV Infections / pathology
  • Hodgkin Disease / epidemiology*
  • Hodgkin Disease / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / epidemiology*
  • Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / pathology*
  • Male
  • Mexico / epidemiology
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Opportunistic Infections / epidemiology*
  • Opportunistic Infections / microbiology
  • Retrospective Studies