[Hemostasis anomalies and human immunodeficiency virus infection]

Because hemostasis disorder in HIV infected patients are frequent and have clinical effects, they have aroused the interest of internal medicine. Such anomalies are not yet clearly defined and include various parameters. Thrombocytopenia which is the most widespread and the best documented manifestation, whether of peripheral origin by immunological platelet destruction or of central origin by a shortage in platelet production, responds well to medical treatment, especially to zidovudine. The circulating anti-coagulants frequently observed in HIV infected patients, whether anti-phospholipid antibodies or anti-cardiolipines are mostly asymptomatic. Other coagulation disorders (affection of the inhibitory system or fibrinolysis) are rarely observed and generally have no clinical incidence. Apart from thrombocytopenias and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura the incidence of clinical signs (thrombotic or hemorrhagic accidents) in HIV infected patients is not higher than in an HIV-free population and respond to the same treatment.