Circulating antibodies to endogenous erythropoietin and risk for HIV-1-related anemia

Tsiakalos, Aristotelis; Kordossis, Theodore; Ziakas, Panayiotis D.; Kontos, Athanasios N.; Kyriaki, Despina; Sipsas, Nikolaos V.

doi:10.1016/j.jinf.2009.12.013

« Previous Next »Journal of Infection
Volume 60, Issue 3 , Pages 238-243, March 2010

Circulating antibodies to endogenous erythropoietin and risk for HIV-1-related anemia

Aristotelis Tsiakalos
- Department of Pathophysiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, 11527 Athens, Greece
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +30 210 7462643; fax: +30 22910 41777.
Theodore Kordossis
- Department of Pathophysiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, 11527 Athens, Greece
Panayiotis D. Ziakas
- Department of Pathophysiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, 11527 Athens, Greece
Athanasios N. Kontos
- Department of Pathophysiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, 11527 Athens, Greece
Despina Kyriaki
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Laikon General Hospital, Agiou Thoma 8, 11527 Athens, Greece
Nikolaos V. Sipsas
- Department of Pathophysiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, 11527 Athens, Greece

Accepted 18 December 2009. published online 14 January 2010.

Summary

Objectives

In a previous retrospective study we have shown that circulating antibodies to endogenous erythropoietin (anti-EPO) are associated with HIV-1-related anemia. The present longitudinal cohort study was conducted to examine the effect of anti-EPO on the risk of developing anemia over time.

Methods

The study population consisted of 113 HIV-1 seropositive patients, who were screened for the presence of anti-EPO, with a mean±SD follow up of 105±40 months, for a total of 2190 visits. Anti-EPO were detected with an ELISA assay.

Results

Anti-EPO were detected in 41% (46/113) at enrollment and 29% (320/1094) for all visits, and were associated with higher EPO levels for all visits (45.7±60.4 vs. 31.8±31.7IU/ml, p<0.001). After adjusting for other significant confounders, anti-EPO has been associated with increased risk of anemia both at enrollment (odds ratio [OR], 5.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.25–20.49) as well as for all visits ([OR], 2.15; 95% [CI]: 1.29–3.56). During follow up, a decline in prevalence of both anti-EPO and anemia was observed as the percentage of patients receiving HAART was increasing.