HIV antibody profiles in serum and CSF of patients with neurological disease can serve as predictors of outcome

The serum and CSF antibody profiles were investigated in 100 patients with HIV in relation to the type and severity of neurological disease. Among the m, 87 were positive for anti-HIV antibodies in the CSF. In 30 of 87 patient s detailed analysis by western blot could be performed. In 20 of 30 the pro files were dissimilar, with more of bands being found in the serum than in the CSF. The correlation of western blot profiles to the clinical outcome i ndicated that the number of anti-HIV antibody bands as well as the index in the CSF of fatal cases were significantly less compared with non-fatal cas es (p=0.019 and p=0.039 respectively).