In order to determine risk factors associated with the development of
AIDS-associated lymphoma (
AIDS-NHL) in individuals with
haemophilia, we undertook a case-control study of 25 patients with
AIDS-NHL identified prospectively in the multicentre
Hemophilia Malignancy Study (HMS) and 100
haemophilia controls with
AIDS matched 1:4 by age and date of
AIDS diagnosis. Clinical, laboratory and lifestyle characteristics and blood product usage during the 2 years before seroconversion and
AIDS or
AIDS-NHL diagnosis were compared between cases and controls.
AIDS-NHL cases had higher haemoglobin, platelets, %CD4 and white blood count, with the latter approaching significance, 5700 microL-1 vs. 4000 microL-1, P = 0.063. The proportion of cases receiving anti-retroviral treatment prior to diagnosis was similar to that of
AIDS-controls, 72% vs. 86%, but a significantly lower proportion of cases had been treated with intravenous
pentamidine, 4% vs. 26%, P = 0.048. There were no differences between cases and controls in prevalence of antibody to
hepatitis B or
hepatitis C, HIV-related symptoms, lifestyle characteristics, or in the type or amount of blood product usage. Thus, clinical, lifestyle characteristics,
antiviral drug treatment and blood product usage appear to have little, if any, effect on the development of
AIDS lymphoma in HIV(+) patients with
haemophilia.