Immunophenotypic Analysis of Peripheral Blood Leukocytes at Different Stages of HIV Infection: An Analysis of Asymptomatic, ARC, and AIDS Populations

Abstract

Blood leukocytes from 51 patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) or AIDS-related syndrome (ARC) were immunophenotyped with the use of monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry. The patients were placed into four clinically defined groups: HIV-positive asymptomatic (HIV+/A, 8); persistent generalized adenopathy (14); Kaposi’s sarcoma (12); and opportunistic infections (17). Immiinophenotypes were compared between groups. Statistically significant differences were seen in absolute lymphocyte counts, total T-cells, helper/inducer T-cells, the helper inducer subset of CD4⁺ lymphocytes, the suppressor inducer subset of CD4⁺ lymphocytes, activated helper T-cells, and natural killer cells. CD8⁺ cells and subsets were not statistically different between groups, possibly obscured by large ranges, but median values suggested differences. Results indicate a pattern of increasing or decreasing numbers of certain subpopulations as HIV infection progresses.