Levels of Immunoglobulin Classes Are Not Associated with Severity of HIV Infection in Nigerian Patients

Abstract

The serum concentrations of immunoglobulin G (IgG), immunoglobulin A (IgA), immunoglobulin M (IgM), total protein and albumin were measured in 35 Human Immunodeficiency Virus—positive, HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy) na?ve subjects attending the PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan for AIDS relief) clinic, University College Hospital, Ibadan and in 30 apparently healthy control subjects to assess the relationship between serum protein, immunoglobulin concentrations and laboratory indices of HIV disease (CD4 cell counts and viral load). Serum IgG (1008.6 ± 530.7 mg/dl), IgA (170.4 ± 69 mg/dl) and total protein (9.9 ± 1.7 g/dl) levels were higher among HIV positive subjects compared with mean values in healthy subjects (549.8 ± 193.8 mg/dl, 106.8 ± 26.4 mg/dl and 7.8 ± 0.5 g/dl respectively). The median serum IgM concentration (131mg/dl) was significantly higher in HIV positive subjects compared with 35 mg/dl in healthy controls (p < 0.001). Mean serum albumin concentration was significantly lower among HIV positive subjects (3.7 ± 0.7 g/dl), compared with 4.3 ± 0.3 g/dl in healthy subjects (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences observed in the levels of the immunoglobulin classes when HIV subjects with CD4 counts of <200 cell/μL were compared with subjects with CD4 counts > 200 cells/μL. There was also no statistically significant correlation observed between viral load and serum immunoglobulin levels.