THE VANCOUVER LYMPHADENOPATHY - AIDS STUDY .1. PERSISTENT GENERALIZED LYMPHADENOPATHY

  • 1 January 1985
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 132  (11) , 1273-1279
Abstract
The Vancouver Lymphadenopathy-AIDS (aquired immune deficiency syndrome) Study is an ongoing prospective study of over 700 homosexual men attending 6 primary care practices in central Vancouver. A case-control study of risk factors for persistent generalized lymphadenopathy in homosexaul men was conducted in five of the practices. The participants completed a questionnaire and underwent a complete physical examination at the time of enrolment and at a subsequent visit not less than 3 mo. later, and laboratory tests were perfomred after both visits. Persistants generalized lymphadenopathy was defined as the presence of lymph nodes greater than 1 cm in diameter at 2 or more extrainguinal sites for more than 3 mo. Of the 519 patients who had completed both visits by Feb. 1984, 126 (24%) were found to have the disease, and 2 controls without lymphadenopathy were frequency-matched on the basis of age and practice to each subject. More than 100 males sexual partners during one''s lifetime, frequent receptive anal intercourse, a history of gonorrhea, use of illicit drugs and sexual contact in Los Angeles were identified as independent risk factors for persistent generalized lymphadenopathy. The similarity of these risk factors to those established for AIDS supports the hypothesis of a common etiology for the 2 diseases; the high prevalence rate of persistent generalized lymphadenopathy further supports the hypothesis that AIDS is an uncommon response to a relatively common agent.