Hematological abnormalities in HIV-infected patients.

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Infectious Diseases
• Immunology

Background:

• Cytopenias (anemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia) are frequent in HIV-infected individuals.
• Understanding cytopenias' prevalence and association with CD4 count is crucial for patient management.
• Investigating the link between hemoglobin levels and mortality in HIV is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of cytopenias in HIV patients.
• To assess the association between cytopenias and CD4+ T-cell counts.
• To evaluate the impact of hemoglobin concentration on 1-year mortality.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 701 HIV-infected patients.
• Recorded blood cell counts, hemoglobin, CD4 count, and viral load.
• Analyzed 1-year mortality rates based on CD4 count and hemoglobin levels.

Main Results:

• 37.5% of patients had anemia, with higher prevalence in the low CD4 group (61.1%).
• Significant differences in neutrophil and platelet counts were observed between low and high CD4 groups (p<0.01 and p=0.03, respectively).
• Patients with hemoglobin below the median had increased mortality in both low (14 vs. 4 deaths) and high (8 vs. 1 death) CD4 groups.

Conclusions:

• A significant association exists between CD4 count and hemoglobin, neutrophil, and platelet levels.
• Anemia is independently linked to increased mortality in HIV-infected patients.
• Hemoglobin concentration is a critical prognostic factor for mortality in HIV.