Differences in laboratory parameters in clinical categories (CDC/93) of HIV infection

OBJECTIVE: To establish the difference between the evolutive clinical categories (CDC/93) of the HIV infection, on the basis of diverse laboratory parameters. MATERIAL AND METHOD: 332 samples of blood, from 118 patients with HIV infection revised every three months from 1986, were studied. Determinations: haematologic, biochemical and immunologic study. Classification in each review by CDC/93 system. Statistical analysis (R-SIGMA) comparing by ANOVA and NEWMANN-KEULS the averages of the laboratory variables in the clinics categories ("A", "B" and "C"). RESULTS: There are very significant laboratory differences (p < 0.01) between the asymptomatic patients ("A") and the AIDS cases ("C"), with important decrease of hemoglobin, platelets, leukocytes, albumin, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the "C" category. On the contrary there is a marked increase of erythrocyte sedimentation, triglycerides, immunoglobulin A and beta 2-microglobulin in those patients with AIDS. CONCLUSION: AIDS patients present very significant differences in ten laboratory parameters, compared to the asymptomatic HIV infected patients. The follow up of these parameters may have prognostic value of AIDS evolution and be useful for the therapeutic decision making.