Neutropenia and human immunodeficiency virus-1 infection: analysis of 43 cases.

Background: Neutropenia has been reported in patients with early asymptomatic HIV infection as well as in those with more advance HIV-related immunodeficiency. As with other peripheral cytopenias in the setting of HIV infection, multiple aetiologies may be present either singly or in combination. The study aims to determine the prevalence of Neutropenia and the association with the level of deterioration of CD4+ T lymphocyte subset in antiretroviral naïve HIV-1 infected patients.

Method: Four hundred consecutive HIV-1 infected patients undergoing investigations for pre treatment and staging were recruited over a one year period, at the HIV subspecialty clinic of Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria. All the patients were confirmed HIV-1 infected, repeatedly reactive by ELIZA. White cell count was determined by standard manual method and CD4+ T cell enumeration by Dynal (Oslo Norway) manual method.

Results: Of the 400 patients studied, the prevalence of neutropenia was 17.5%; 4.5% and 13% amongst the asymptomatic and symptomatic group respectively. There is a signification positive correlation between absolute neutrophil count and CD4 + T lymphocyte count p<0.05.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates that Neutropenia is relatively common in HIV infected patients and is associated with the severity of the immunological deterioration.