Abstract
The records of 49 consecutive AIDS patients with Kaposi's sarcoma were analysed retrospectively to assess the prognostic value of the four staging systems proposed for epidemic Kaposi's sarcoma. The classifications by Krigel and Mitsuyasu do not describe exactly the characteristics of the disease, and do not give enough information on survival. Our study confirms that CD4+ cell depletion, systemic symptoms and opportunistic infections at diagnosis are the major prognostic factors and influence survival to a great extent, as shown by Krown and Chachoua.