PREVALENCE OF HIGH SERUM AND RED-CELL FERRITIN LEVELS IN HIV-INFECTEDPATIENTS

We report a high prevalence of elevated serum and red cell ferritin (S F and RCF) levels in 168 patients with HIV infection. SF levels increa se with clinical worsening of infection and with decreasing CD4(+) lym phocyte counts (ANOVA, p<0.001) while RCF is significantly higher in a symptomatic AIDS patients (ANOVA, p<0.001) and in those treated with z idovudine (AZT) (ANOVA, p<0.001). It is suggested that, although infla mmatory processes may explain high SF levels, if we also take in accou nt RCF levels a possible association between iron overload and HN infe ction might exist, and this may be worsened by AZT treatment. The sign ificance of these high ferritin levels and their effects on immune sys tem suppression and susceptibility to infectious and neoplastic compli cations in these patients merits further investigation.