HIV-disease and bone marrow changes: a study of 60 cases.

We report our experience of peripheral blood and bone marrow changes in patients with HIV disease. Abnormalities were most commonly seen in patients with advanced disease. In AIDS group IV patients (CDC classification) anaemia (92%) neutropenia (85%) monocytopenia (75%) and thrombocytopenia (61%) have their highest incidence, the reason being a combination of factors such as infection, myelosuppressive drugs and HIV infection itself. Bone marrow examinations were performed most commonly for microbiological culture (25%) and the investigation of anaemia (16%). Morphological changes in the bone marrow were non-specific and not pathognomic; however erythroid hypoplasia was found to be a distinctive feature associated with MAI infection. The procedure provided a high yield for microbiological culture, particularly in MAI infection.