Determination of anti-cardiolipin and other antibodies in HIV-1-infected patients.

Anti-cardiolipin antibodies (ACA) were determined by an ELISA assay in 116 HIV-1-infected patients. A positive test was found in 27 patients (23.3%) with a predominance of IgG ACA isotype.

[Thrombocytopenia and HIV: the role of splenectomy].

Severe thrombocytopenia has been diagnosed in HIV seropositive patients independently of the clinical stage of disease. In view of its immunologic origin, attempts have been made to treat this condition with drugs which have proved effective in the treatment of autoimmune thrombocytopenia, though with little or no beneficial effect to these patients. This communication deals with the observation (5-22 months) of 5 HIV seropositive patients with severe thrombocytopenia who were resistant to steroids, high dose i.

[Polyclonal B cell activation in infection caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)].

87 patients with anti-HIV antibodies were divided into three groups based on the classification of the Centers for Disease Control and the following parameters reflecting polyclonal B cell activation were evaluated in these patients: immunoglobulin levels, circulating immune complexes and occurrence of autoantibodies. The results reported here indicate that intense polyclonal B cell activation occurs in both asymptomatic (CDC 2) and symptomatic patients (CDC 3 and CDC 4). Moreover, serological abnormalities were detected with similar frequency in the three groups studied.