Cancer death rates associated with human immunodeficiency virus infection in the United States.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to R M Selik.
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To measure the effect of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic on mortality from opportunistic infections (OIs) in 1993, national multiple-cause death certificate data were examined using two approaches. First, for each OI, the percentage of deaths with HIV infection reported as the underlying cause was calculated. Second, the age-adjusted rate of death per million population was compared with the rate predicted from a model of rates in 1970-1980 or 1979-1981, as available. The percentage of deaths with HIV as the underlying cause and the ratio of observed to predicted death rates were as follows: toxoplasmosis, 91% and 86 (5.24/0.06); cryptosporidiosis/isosporiasis, 90% and infinite (1.61/0.00); progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, 87% and 19 (2.58/0.13); pneumocystosis, 82% and 18 (15.44/0.87); cytomegalovirus disease, 82% and 17 (12.60/0.74); nontuberculous mycobacteriosis, 79% and 18 (15.51/0.84); cryptococcosis, 76% and 4 (5.80/1.35); and histoplasmosis, 68% and 6 (1.36/0.23). Thus, the HIV epidemic has greatly increased mortality from several OIs.
OBJECTIVE: To compare premature mortality due to HIV infection with that from other causes of death in the United States, so as to provide a basis for allocating public health resources among causes of death that would be more useful than either total or age-specific mortality data. METHODS: Using death certificate data, we calculated years of potential life lost (YPLL) before age 65 years for each cause of death. We defined YPLL for an individual as the difference between 65 years and the age at death if the age was < 65 years, or zero if the age was > or = 65 years. The YPLL in the population was the sum of YPLL for individuals. RESULTS: In 1995, HIV infection was the fourth leading cause of YPLL nationally, accounting for 4.7 YPLL per 1000 population (all under age 65 years; 8.8% of the 53.9 YPLL from all causes per 1000 population). Among males, HIV infection ranked fourth (11.0% of YPLL) nationally and in 1994 was the top cause of YPLL in four states: New York (causing 22.7% of YPLL), Florida (18.1%), New Jersey (17.6%) and Maryland (13.9%); and in 51 cities of > or = 100,000 total population, where it caused 12.6-50.9% of YPLL. In 1995, among females, HIV ranked sixth (4.5% of YPLL) nationally and in 1994 was the leading cause of YPLL in 11 cities (11.6-31.4%). CONCLUSION: HIV infection has become the fourth leading cause of premature mortality, measured in terms of YPLL, in the United States and the leading cause in a sizeable number of United States cities.
OBJECTIVE: To determine trends in the relative frequency of infectious diseases and cancers among U.S. residents dying of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. DATA SOURCE: National multiple-cause mortality data for 1987 to 1992 compiled from death certificates. SUBJECTS: Deaths reported with HIV infection as the underlying cause and with nonunderlying causes that could be secondary to HIV infection. DATA ANALYSIS: Trends in the annual percentage of deaths associated with each infectious disease or cancer that accounted for at least 1.0% of all HIV-related deaths. RESULTS: From 1987 to 1992, the percentage of HIV-related deaths associated with the following diseases decreased: pneumocystosis, from 32.5% to 13.8%; cryptococcosis, from 7.7% to 5.0%; and candidiasis, from 2.3% to 1.7%. The percentage of deaths associated with the following diseases increased: nontuberculous mycobacteriosis, from 6.7% to 12.2%; cytomegalovirus disease, from 5.2% to 9.9%; bacterial septicemia, from 9.0% to 11.5%; non-Hodgkin lymphoma, from 3.9% to 5.7%; tuberculosis, from 2.9% to 4.1%; progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, from 0.8% to 1.9%; bacterial pneumonia, from 1.2% to 2.1%; and cryptosporidiosis or isosporiasis, from 0.7% to 1.2%. The percentages of deaths associated with toxoplasmosis, Kaposi sarcoma, and pneumonia caused by unspecified organisms had no significant linear trends (ranges from 4.9% to 5.5%, 10.4% to 12.1%, and 17.6% to 18.6%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The percentage of HIV-related deaths associated with pneumocystosis has decreased dramatically, probably because of chemoprophylaxis and improved treatment. Pneumonia caused by unspecified organisms has now become the leading secondary cause of death among persons dying of HIV infection. Decreases in the percentages of HIV-related deaths associated with cryptococcosis and candidiasis may reflect the use of new antifungal agents such as fluconazole.
To describe the demographic patterns of blood transfusion in the United States, the authors analyzed the cumulative incidence rate of transfusion-associated acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) (total cases reported from June 1981 through May 1993 per million population) by sex, race/ethnicity, age (at transfusion), and geographic area. Except for a high rate in infants, the rate increased with age, peaking at ages 55-64 years in men and at 65-74 years in women. Overall, the rate in males was 1.7 times that in females. By age, the rate in males was significantly higher than that in females only at ages 0-4 years and 45-84 years, when the rate in males was 2-3 times that in females. Overall, the rates in blacks and Hispanics were twice the rate in non-Hispanic whites. By age, the rates in blacks and Hispanics were significantly higher only at ages 0-4 years and 15-54 years, when they were 2-5 times those in whites, respectively. By state of residence, the incidence of transfusion-associated AIDS was correlated with the rate of all other AIDS cases (Spearman correlation coefficient, 0.83; p = 0.0001). Most of these demographic differences probably reflect differences in exposure to blood transfusion and in the incidence of conditions requiring transfusions.
OBJECTIVE: To describe the extent to which human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection has become the leading cause of death among young adults (25 to 44 years of age) in US states and cities of at least 100,000 population. DESIGN: Analysis of underlying causes of death using national vital statistics for 1990 by state and city. Deaths caused by HIV were defined as those with underlying cause assigned a code number of 042, 043, or 044, as established by the National Center for Health Statistics. RESULTS: Infection with HIV was the leading cause of death among young men in five states, causing 29% of their deaths in New York, 28% in New Jersey, 24% in California and Florida, and 16% in Massachusetts. Among young women, HIV was not the leading cause of death in any state. Among young men, HIV infection was the leading cause of death in 64 cities, with the proportion of deaths due to HIV ranging from 16% in Bridgeport, Conn, to 61% in San Francisco, Calif. Among young women, HIV infection was the leading cause of death in nine cities, with the proportion of deaths due to HIV ranging from 15% in Baltimore, Md, to 43% in Newark, NJ. CONCLUSION: In many US communities, HIV infection is the leading cause of death among young men and women, causing a large proportion of deaths in this age group.
To investigate the epidemiology of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) encephalopathy, we analyzed cases of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) reported to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) from September 1, 1987, through August 31, 1991. Of 144,184 persons with AIDS (PWAs), 10,553 (7.3%) were reported to have HIV encephalopathy. The proportion of PWAs with HIV encephalopathy was highest at the extremes of age: in PWAs less than 15 years old the proportion was 13%, and in PWAs greater than or equal to 15 years old the proportion progressively increased with age, from 6% in PWAs 15 to 34 years old to 19% in PWAs greater than or equal to 75 years old (p = 0.00001, chi 2 test for linear trend in proportions). The reported annual incidence of HIV encephalopathy per 100,000 population aged 20 to 59 years was 1.4 in 1988, 1.5 in 1989, and 1.9 in 1990. This analysis best provides estimates for HIV encephalopathy as the initial manifestation of AIDS because the CDC AIDS reporting system often does not ascertain diagnoses after the initial AIDS report. These data suggest that age (very young or old) is associated with the development of HIV encephalopathy and that HIV encephalopathy is a common cause of dementia in adults less than 60 years old in the United States.
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Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) has afflicted persons of all ages, yet only recently has attention been devoted to AIDS in older persons. To examine the epidemiology of AIDS in persons greater than or equal to 50 years old in the United States, we analyzed cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control. The number reported annually in persons greater than or equal to 50 years old increased from 13 in 1981 to 3,562 in 1989. Through December 1989, 11,984 had been reported, representing 10% of all cases. Although male homosexual contact accounted for most cases in persons aged 50-69, blood transfusion became a more common means of exposure with increasing age, accounting for 28% of cases in persons aged 60-69 and 64% of cases in individuals aged greater than or equal to 70. The proportion of women increased from 6.1% in persons with AIDS aged 50-59 to 28.7% of those aged greater than or equal to 70. The proportion of AIDS diagnoses made in the same month as death increased from 16% in persons aged 50-59 to 37% in those aged greater than or equal to 80, suggesting either more rapid progression of disease or increasing delay in diagnosis. As the incidence in older persons continues to increase, clinicians caring for older patients must become more familiar with AIDS.
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Surveillance systems indicate that the most documented human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) cases among children and women of childbearing age in the United States occur among black and Hispanic populations. Intravenous-drug use (IVDU) is the presumptive origin of HIV infection for most of these cases, through direct IVDU, sexual contact with an intravenous (IV)-drug user, or birth to women with either mode of exposure. These data confirm the need for HIV-prevention programs directed to the racial, ethnic, age, and reproductive concerns of black and Hispanic women of childbearing age and their children. Services should be available for those who are HIV infected, as well as for those who are not infected with HIV, to prevent the further spread of HIV. Services for prevention and treatment of drug abuse are an integral part of HIV prevention and treatment for these groups.
To measure the impact of the 1987 expansion of the definition of acquired immune deficiency syndrome on the number and characteristics of cases in the United States, we reviewed the 28,920 cases diagnosed since the revision and reported through 1988. The proportion meeting only new criteria was 28% overall, with a range of 0 to 82% in different states and territories. This proportion was 26% in the last quarter of 1987 and increased to 31% in the last quarter of 1988. It was higher in heterosexual intravenous drug abusers (IVDAs) (43%) and lower in homosexual male non-IVDAs (21%) than in other groups. The new criteria, but not earlier (pre-1985) criteria, generally require a positive test for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection; however, use of HIV testing varies among states, as demonstrated by differences in the percentage of pre-1985-criteria cases with a reported HIV test (39 to greater than 95%). The revision has changed the distribution of characteristics of cases (e.g., heterosexual IVDAs composed 18% of cases meeting old criteria, 35% of cases meeting only new criteria, and 23% of all cases). Interpretation of trends in both the number and characteristics of cases should take into account the variable impact of the revision on reporting.
We analyzed cases of disseminated nontuberculous mycobacterial infection (DNTM) in patients with AIDS reported to the Centers for Disease Control. Between 1981 and 1987, 2,269 cases were reported. In 96% of cases, infection was caused by M. avium complex (MAC). The number of cases has risen steadily since 1981, but the rate as a percentage of AIDS cases has remained stable at 5.5%. DNTM was seen less frequently in AIDS cases with Kaposi's sarcoma than in other AIDS cases (p less than 0.01). Rates of DNTM were lower in Hispanics and declined with age but were not significantly different by patient sex or means of acquiring HIV infection. Rates of disseminated MAC varied by geographic region from 3.9% to 7.8% (p less than 0.0001). As assessed by helper/suppressor T-cell ratios, AIDS patients with DNTM were not more immunologically impaired than those with other opportunistic infections. Life table analysis revealed that AIDS patients with DNTM survived a shorter time (median, 7.4 months) than did other AIDS patients (median, 13.3 months; p less than 0.0001). We conclude that DNTM is acquired by unpreventable environmental exposures. Because DNTM adversely affects survival of AIDS patients, effective therapeutic agents must be vigorously sought.
To extend previous work showing that the risk of AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is higher in US Hispanics than in Whites who are not Hispanic, we compared US residents born in different Latin American countries. We computed the cumulative incidence (CI) of AIDS and the distribution of cases by mode of exposure. Cases were those reported to the Centers for Disease Control between June 1, 1981 and December 12, 1988, and populations specific for birthplace were from the 1980 census. The reference group was the White population that was not Hispanic, CI 25.7/100,000. We estimated a similar rate in Mexican-born persons (25.3/100,000). In the South and West, the rate in Mexican-born Hispanics was half the reference rate. In each US region, the CI of AIDS in heterosexual intravenous drug abusers (IVDAs) in Puerto Rican-born persons was several times greater than that in other Latin American-born persons. Puerto Rican-born persons were the only Latin American-born persons in whom most cases were in heterosexual IVDAs. The data suggest that resources for preventing AIDS in Hispanics are needed most in those of Puerto Rican ethnicity for AIDS related to intravenous drug abuse.
The new, revised CDC case definition of AIDS (1) specifies precisely, which laboratory results and which diseases may indicate HIV-infection. The indicator diseases are divided into those with HIV-positive and HIV-not positive laboratory findings. The latter group is subdivided into diseases diagnosed definitely and diagnosed presumptively. Appendices contain directions for the interpretation of results of laboratory examinations indicating, under which circumstances the diagnosis of AIDS can be excluded or can definitely be established or which findings must be considered inconclusive. Further, the methods are listed, which have to be employed in order to provide a definitive diagnosis of an indicator disease and under which conditions a presumptive diagnosis of a disease, indicative of AIDS, is admitted.
The vast number of symptoms, diseases and findings, which can be observed in the course of HIV-infection, required an arrangement in a systematic order. The classification system for adults of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) distinguishes between 4 groups and some subgroups. Group I includes acute infection, group II asymptomatic infection, group II persistent generalized lymphadenopathy, group IV other diseases. Subgroup IV.A. stands for constitutional disease, IV.B. neurologic disease, IV.C. secondary infectious diseases, IV.D. secondary cancers and IV.E. other conditions. A somewhat different classification system is needed for children under 13 years of age. Class P-0 comprises indeterminate infection, P-1 asymptomatic infection and P-2 symptomatic infection. Subclass P-1.-A. concerns normal immune function, P-1.B. abnormal immune function, P-1.C. immune function not tested, P-2.A. nonspecific findings, P-2.B. progressive neurologic disease, P-2.C. lymphoid interstitial pneumonitis, P-2.D. secondary infectious diseases, P-2.E. secondary cancers and P-2.F. other diseases possibly due to HIV-infection.
By the end of 1987, nearly 50,000 cases of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) had been reported since 1981, 20,745 in the past year alone. Black and Hispanic adults and children have reported rates 3 to 12 times as high as whites. This can be largely attributed to higher reported rates in black and Hispanic intravenous (IV) drug abusers, their sex partners, and infants. In 1986, reported AIDS deaths increased adult male and female mortality in the United States by an estimated 0.7 and 0.07%, respectively, with much greater increases in selected age groups or areas of the country. The greatest variation in infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (0 to 70%) has been found in surveys of IV drug abusers, while surveys of homosexual men reveal infection rates of 20 to 50%. Infection with HIV ranged from 0 to 2.6% in limited sexually transmitted disease clinic surveys of heterosexual men and women without a history of IV drug abuse or known sexual contact with persons at increased risk. The modes of HIV transmission are now well understood, but a large amount of biologic variability in efficiency of transmission remains to be explained. The period between initial infection with HIV and the development of AIDS is variable, but the risk for disease progression increases with duration of infection.
We analyzed the variation in the risk of AIDS in US Blacks, Hispanics, and other racial/ethnic groups relative to that in Whites (non-Hispanic) by geographic area and mode of acquiring HIV infection, based on data reported between June 1, 1981 and January 18, 1988 to the Centers for Disease Control and 1980 US census data. Relative risks (RRs) in Blacks and Hispanics were highest in the northeast region, and higher in suburbs than in central cities of metropolitan areas. RRs in Blacks and Hispanics were greatest for AIDS directly or indirectly associated with intravenous-drug abuse by heterosexuals (range: 5.7-26.9) and were also high for AIDS associated with male bisexuality (range: 2.5-4.8), suggesting that these behaviors may be more prevalent in Blacks and Hispanics than in Whites. Prevention strategies should take into account these racial/ethnic differences.