NEOPTERIN AND BETA-2 MICROGLOBULIN LEVELS IN ASYMPTOMATIC HIV-INFECTION - THE PREDICTIVE VALUE OF COMBINING MARKERS

The concentrations of neopterin, beta‐2 microglobulin, p24 antigen anti‐p24 antibody, and alpha‐interferon were determined in the sera of 25 asymptomatic anti‐HIV positive patients (CDC stages II and III) over a 50 month period (38 months retrospectively and 12 months prospectively). Evaluation of the data allowed the derivation of a threshold of abnormality for both neopterin and beta‐2 microglobulin. Pre‐AIDS (CDC groups IVa, IVc2, IVe) developed in 6 of the 26 patients within 18 months of the first abnormal value of beta‐2 microglobulin, and within 12 months of the first abnormal value of neopterin. Combining the abnormal results of neopterin, beta‐2 microglobulin, p24 antigen, and alpha‐interferon allows prediction of progression to pre‐AIDS within 18 months for most asymptomatic patients. Copyright © 1990 Wiley‐Liss, Inc., A Wiley Company