Bone marrow abnormalities in HIV disease.

Bone marrow abnormalities are frequently observed in HIV infected individuals at all stages of the disease. The most common abnormal finding is dysplasia affecting one or more cell lines. Erythroid dysplasia is the most common type of dysplasia and is recognized in over 50% of HIV infected patients, abnormal granulocytic and megakaryocytic development is encountered in one-third of patients. Plasma cells are strikingly increased in bone marrow of HIV infected patients. It may represent a physiological response to antigenic stimulation by viruses, other infective agents or secondary to dysregulated B-cell proliferation due to HIV. Herein we present a review discussing the various bone marrow abnormalities associated with the HIV disease.