HIV-1 infection in a cohort of haemophilic patients

The course of HIV infection in 53 haemophilic patients aged 5-20 years was evaluated by clinical examination and laboratory tests. During the evaluation time (median 30 months) two patients died of AIDS and 32 patients (60%) deteriorated when assessed by the Brodt-Helm classification. Nineteen patients (37%) had decreased absolute helper cell counts (less than 500 CD4 positive cells/microliters), and 45 patients (87%) had reduced helper cell to lymphocyte ratios (less than 0.35). HIV-1 was isolated from peripheral lymphocytes in 29 of 46 patients. As the disease progressed the number of positive viral cultures increased. Considerable progression of the HIV infection was seen in haemophilic children and adolescents during the median evaluation period of 30 months. The transition from symptomless HIV infection to immunodeficiency was easily recognised. A lowered ratio of helper cells to lymphocytes seems to be a useful marker of the beginning of the deterioration of the immune system.