ACQUIRED UNBALANCED HEMOGLOBIN CHAIN SYNTHESIS DURING HIV-INFECTION

Few abnormalities have been described up to know in the red cell linea ge of HIV patients except for a slight anemia. To better interpretate this, a hemoglobin study was performed in a group of 71 HIV infected p atients. By contrast to patients at stage II or III, those at stage IV of the disease bad moderate elevation of HbA2 level. A second group o f ten patients being at stage IV of HIV infection and having moderate increase in HbA2 level were found to have beta thalassemia-like unbala nced biosynthetic globin ratio, unlike a control group with chronic in flammation condition. The observed abnormality may he a feature reflec ting the peculiar disordered erythropoiesis seen in the late stage of this disease.