Background: The pattern of AIDS-defining diseases in adults and adolescents in Spain from 1988-1993 has been described.
Methods: Twenty-two thousand two hundred thirty-nine cases (CDC, 1987) diagnosed in patients over the age of 12 years from 1988 to 1993 were taken from the National AIDS Registry. The percentage of cases which each of the indicative diseases on registry was evaluated and the differences based on the category of HIV transmission, sex and age were identified.
Results: The most frequent AIDS indicative diseases were extrapulmonary tuberculosis (29.7%), Pneumocystis carinii (28.2%) and invasive candidiasis (24.8%). The percentage of cases with extrapulmonary tuberculosis was higher among the intravenous drug users and Kaposi's sarcoma, non Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and cytomegalovirus disease (CMV) among the homosexual males. The disease pattern has demonstrated some differences between sexes on adjustment by transmission category and age. Herpes simplex disease, retinitis by CMV and cerebral toxoplasmosis appeared were more frequent in women and extrapulmonary tuberculosis and NHL in males. On adjustment by transmission category and sex, extrapulmonary tuberculosis was observed with a higher frequency in patients under the age of 30 years while wasting syndrome and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy were more often observed in those over the age of 30 years.
Conclusions: The category of HIV transmission plays and important role in the pattern of AIDS-defining diseases. Sex and age also play a role although to in a lesser degree.