HIV antibody profiles in serum and CSF of patients with neurological disease can serve as predictors of outcome
- aDepartment of Neurovirology, Neurology, Neuromicrobiology, and Biostatistics, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore 560029, India, bDepartment of Neuromicrobiology, cDepartment of Neurology, dDepartment of Biostatistics
- Dr V Ravi, Department of Neurovirology, NIMHANS, Bangalore 560029, India email vravi{at}nimhans.ikar.nic.in
- Received 25 August 1998
- Revised 13 April 1999
- Accepted 28 May 1999
Abstract
The serum and CSF antibody profiles were investigated in 100 patients with HIV in relation to the type and severity of neurological disease. Among them, 87 were positive for anti-HIV antibodies in the CSF. In 30 of 87 patients detailed analysis by western blot could be performed. In 20 of 30 the profiles 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 indicated 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 cases (p=0.019 and p=0.039 respectively).
