The importance of serial immunoglobulin evaluations in HIV-seropositive haemophiliacs

The aim of our investigation was to evaluate whether the alteration of immunoglobulins (Igs) may be a predictive marker of the evolution of HIV infection in seropositive haemophiliacs. For this purpose two groups of haemophiliac patients (16 seronegative and 21 seropositive) were compared to evaluate the variations of the Ig profile over a period of 5 years (1985-1989). The two populations were similar for the number of transfusions of blood products and for the severity of post-transfusional hepatic disorders. The IgM increase, in the first stages of HIV infection, appears to be more discriminant than polyclonal elevation of IgG, which is already present in seronegative polytransfused haemophiliac patients.