Hematologic Manifestations in Pediatric HIV Infection: Severe Anemia as a Prognostic Factor

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Abstract
The hematologic profile of 100 symptomatic children infected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was evaluated and compared to HIV uninfected infants with transplacentally acquired maternal anti-HIV antibodies, and to HIV-negative infants born to i.v. drug-abusing HIV uninfected mothers. Anemia was present in 94% of HIV-infected infants and was a major predictor of disease progression. In 91% of patients having a hematocrit (HcT) less than 25%, the disease course was rapidly fatal. Leukopenia and thrombocytopenia occurred in 47 and 33% of HIV infected patients, respectively. Neutropenia was most severe in children with opportunistic infections. There was no evidence of suppression of any component of hematopoiesis by passively acquired antibodies to HIV.

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