Heparin Cofactor II Deficiency in Patients Infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus

1993 ◽  
Vol 70 (05) ◽  
pp. 730-735 ◽  
Author(s):  
P Toulon ◽  
M Lamine ◽  
I Ledjev ◽  
T Guez ◽  
M E Holleman ◽  
...  

SummaryIn human plasma, heparin cofactor II (HCII) is a thrombin inhibitor, whose deficiency has been reported to be associated with recurrent thrombosis. The finding of two cases of low plasma HCII activity in two patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) led us to investigate this coagulation inhibitor in the plasma of a larger population of HIV-infected patients. The mean plasma HCII activity was significantly lower in 96 HIV-infected patients than in 96 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals (0.75 ± 0.24 vs 0.99 ± 0.17 U/ml, p <0.0001). HCII antigen concentration was decreased to the same extent as the activity. The proportion of subjects with HCII deficiency was significantly higher in the HIV-infected group than in healthy individuals (38.5% vs 2.1%). In addition, HCII was significantly lower in AIDS patients than in other HIV-infected patients, classified according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on the basis of an absolute number of circulating CD4+ lymphocytes below 200 x 106/1. The link between HCII and immunodeficiency is further suggested by significant correlations between HCII activity and both the absolute number of CD4+ lymphocytes and the CD4+ to CD8+ lymphocyte ratio. Nevertheless, the mean HCII level was not different in the various groups of patients classified according to clinical criteria, except in CDC IVD patients in whom HCII levels were significantly lower. In addition, no correlation could be demonstrated between HCII and protein S activities, another coagulation inhibitor whose plasma level was also found to be decreased in HIV-infected patients. A similar prevalence of HCII deficiency was also found in a small series of 7 HIV-infected patients who developed thrombotic episodes, an unusual complication of the infection. This suggests that, in HIV-infected patients, HCII deficiency is not in itself the causative factor for the development of thrombosis.

Blood ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 87 (11) ◽  
pp. 4746-4753 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Cayota ◽  
F Vuillier ◽  
G Gonzalez ◽  
G Dighiero

Oxidative stress has been proposed to be involved in the immunologic defeat observed in effector calls of the immune system as well as in lymphocyte cell death and viral replication in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. Because thiol-containing antioxidants such as N-acetyl-L-cysteine have been shown to have beneficial effects on CD4+ lymphocyte survival and to inhibit programmed cell death and HIV-1 replication, they may play a role in therapeutic strategies of this disease. In this work we have studied the cellular thiol levels and the affect of in vitro antioxidant treatment of purified CD4+ lymphocytes from HIV-infected patients, and correlated these parameters to proliferative responses and programmed cell death. We show that CD4+ lymphocytes from HIV-infected patients display impaired proliferative responses and a significant decrease in cellular thiol levels, indicating a disturbed redox status. Interestingly, antioxidant treatment succeeded to restore defective proliferative responses to CD3- mediated activation in 8 of 11 patients (high antioxidant responders). In contrast to high responders, patients failing to respond to antioxidant treatment (low antioxidant responders), were characterized by an abnormal ratio of apoptotic cells, which was not affected by N- acetyl-L-cysteine and/or 2-beta-mercaptoethanol preincubation. These results demonstrate for the first time that antioxidant treatment is able to revert the impaired proliferative activity of CD4 cells from HIV-infected patients and could help designing therapeutic strategies with antioxidant drugs. However, this action is not observed in cells undergoing programmed cell death.


2001 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 932-936 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cynthia L. Bristow

ABSTRACT The absolute number of CD4+ lymphocytes in blood is prognostic for disease progression, yet the cell surface density of CD4 receptors or chemokine receptors on a single cell has not previously been found to be predictive of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infectivity outcome. It has recently been shown that human leukocyte elastase (HLE) and its ligand α1 proteinase inhibitor (α1PI; α1 antitrypsin) act as HIV fusion cofactors. The present study shows that decreased HIV infectivity is significantly correlated with decreased cell surface density of HLE but not with decreased CD4 nor chemokine receptors. In vitro HIV infectivity outcome in this study was predicted by the surface density of HLE on mononuclear phagocytes but not on lymphocytes. The set point HLE surface density was in part determined by α1PI. Decreased circulating α1PI was correlated with increased cell surface HLE and with increased HIV infectivity. The correlation of HIV infectivity outcome with surface HLE and circulating α1PI supports the utility of these HIV cofactors in diagnostic analysis and therapeutic intervention.


Blood ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 76 (3) ◽  
pp. 463-472 ◽  
Author(s):  
JM Pluda ◽  
R Yarchoan ◽  
PD Smith ◽  
N McAtee ◽  
LE Shay ◽  
...  

We investigated the effects of recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rGM-CSF) administered by the subcutaneous route, first alone and then alternating with azidothymidine (AZT), in leukopenic patients with severe human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Ten patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or related disorders, five of whom could not tolerate conventional doses of AZT, were administered rGM-CSF subcutaneously for 12 days. They then were administered an alternating regimen using AZT for 1 week, followed by 5 days of subcutaneous rGM-CSF and 2 days without any medication. During the initial 12 days of GM-CSF administration, there was an increase in the mean white blood cell (WBC) value. In addition, rGM-CSF stimulated circulating monocytes as evidenced by an increase in superoxide anion production and expression of surface HLA-DR antigen. However, at the same time rGM-CSF increased the serum HIV p24 antigen in each of the six evaluable patients from 189 x/divided by 2.02 pg/mL (geometric mean x/divided by SEM) at entry to 375 x/divided by 2.11 pg/mL (P less than .05). During the subsequent period of alternating AZT and rGM-CSF treatment, serum HIV p24 antigen fell below the day 14 value in most patients, particularly after the weeks of AZT administration. The mean T4 cell value increased in patients who had not previously received AZT, but generally did not change in those who had prior AZT exposure. Hematologic toxicity appeared to be somewhat reduced compared with continuous full-dose AZT therapy, and two patients with previous AZT hematologic toxicity tolerated this alternating regimen for 25 weeks. Additional regimens simultaneously combining these two agents are worth exploring.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 1620
Author(s):  
Olusola Adetunji Oyedeji ◽  
Olasunkanmi Oladapo Olubanjo ◽  
Gabriel Ademola Oyedeji

Background: Information on social characteristics in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected Nigerian children is scarce. The association between social characteristics such as single parenthood, low socio-economic status, polygamy and lack of parental education on the outcome of paediatric HIV admissions has been under studied.Methods: Information was obtained from the case notes of HIV infected children between the year 2006 and 2012 at a Nigerian tertiary hospital. Details of the information extracted include socio-demographics, diagnoses and outcome of management. Data was analysed with the SPSS 18 software.Results: Fifty (1.73%) of the total 2897 paediatric admissions were due to HIV disease. The mean age of the children studied was 3.7±2.9years and the 50 children were made up by 27 boys and 23 girls, giving a male to female ratio of 1:0.9. The mean age of the mothers and fathers were 28.7 and 36.7 years respectively. Pneumonia, septicaemia and tuberculosis accounted for more than 60% of admissions. Five (10.0%) children were from the upper, 12 (24.0%) from the middle and 33 (766.0%) from the lower socioeconomic classes. Twenty-four parents (couples) were both sero-positive for HIV and 7 discordant. Nineteen (38.0%) could not be classified because the status of the father was unknown. Of the 7 sero-discordant parents, 3 sero-negative fathers neglected their families. Thirty-nine children were from monogamous homes, nine from polygamous and two were raised by single parents. There were two discharges against medical advice and eleven deaths. The average number of siblings of the children studied was 2.57±2.1. Mortalities on admission were significantly associated with, parental financial constraints and the admitted HIV infected child having more than one sibling (p<0.05).Conclusions: It was concluded that appropriate interventions to manage these associations will most likely improve the outcome of admissions. Strategies of improving disclosure and prevention of negative outcome of disclosures, such as family neglect in sero-discordant couples also need to be identified. 


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Akash John ◽  
Muhammad Saleem Rana ◽  
Asif Hanif ◽  
Tallat Anwar Faridi ◽  
Sofia Noor ◽  
...  

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a subgroup of retrovirus causing HIV infection which if prolongs turns into a progressive failure of the immune system called as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. It is commonly prevalent in Male Transgenders who are born male and disobeys the cultural defined social norms and identify themselves as a female. The objective was to assess knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Transgender Community regarding Transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus in Lahore, Pakistan. A Descriptive Cross-sectional Survey was conducted in Nine Towns of Lahore. A sample size of 79 was calculated and data was collected in duration of 9 months. A self-administered survey-based questionnaire was developed using WHO and National AIDS control Programme guidelines followed and pilot tested. Data was collected after Informed consent.The mean age of Respondents was 29.56 ± 8.27 years with minimum and maximum age as 19 and 50. In this study the mean knowledge score of the transgender about HIV Transmission was 2.804±0.32, the mean score of attitudes of transgender were 3.25±0.19 and the mean practice score was 2.931±0.28.Majority of the transgender have insufficient knowledge, and bad attitude towards their health. They have unsafe sexual practice and Drug Interventions playing a significant role in HIV epidemic. Majority of them are uneducated, unemployed and found sex selling and dancing an easiest way of earning. Their knowledge about HIV screening, transmission, and antiretroviral therapy is low.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 88 (2) ◽  
pp. 364-370
Author(s):  
Stephane Blanche ◽  
Anne-Marie Duliege ◽  
Marianne Debré ◽  
Claude Griscelli ◽  
Maria Soledad Navarette ◽  
...  

This report describes the one-year results of a noncomparative study designed to assess the safety and tolerance of low-dose zidovudine (azidothymidine) given orally to 60 human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected infants and children. At baseline, the mean age was 1.9 years (±1.4), and all were symptomatic: 43% were P2A and 57% were P2B to F according to the Centers for Disease Control classification. All the patients received zidovudine for at least 6 months, and 52 of them (87%) completed a full year of therapy. The mean duration of follow-up was 346 days (±42) (range, 183 to 366 days). The initial therapy consisted of four daily doses of 100 mg/m2 (400 mg/m2 per day, equivalent to 20 mg/kg per day). However, this treatment was modified when neutropenia or anemia was observed. Twenty-nine children (48%) remained at the initial therapy for the entire study. Zidovudine dosage was adjusted 92 times in the other 31 children (52%), mostly due to neutropenia (83%). Altogether, the time under full-dose therapy represented 81% of the total duration of the protocol for all patients. Children with mild symptoms, P2A at study entry, were more likely to remain under full-dose therapy than children with severe symptoms, P2B to F: the time under full-dose therapy represented 91% of the duration of the protocol for the former group and only 74% for the latter one (P &lt; .02). No clinical adverse experiences were attributed directly to zidovudine. Thirty-seven children were prescribed trimethoprim-sulfametoxazole as a prophylaxis for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. In a multivariate analysis, this comedication had no influence on the hematologic tolerance of zidovudine.


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