Aeroallergen-specific IgE changes in individuals with rapid human immunodeficiency virus disease progression.
BACKGROUND
Progression of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection to the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is associated with elevated total IgE; however, previous cross-sectional studies have differed in their assessment of concurrent changes in allergic disease prevalence.


OBJECTIVE
Assessment of changes in aeroallergen-specific IgE during progression from early to late HIV disease.


METHODS
Total IgE, aeroallergen-specific IgE (rye grass, ragweed, Alternaria, dust mite, and cat), IFN-gamma, IL-4, and soluble CD23 (sCD23) were measured in a longitudinal study of 20 subject who had progressed from early-HIV infection (mean CD4 lymphocyte count of 650/mm3) to AIDS (mean CD4 lymphocyte count of 40/mm3) over an average of 4 years.


RESULTS
Prevalence of positive aeroallergen specific-IgE assays in early HIV disease (T1 subjects with 13 positives) decreased with progression to late disease (five subjects with nine positive, P = .057), while total IgE increased from a median of 69 to 116 IU/mL. IFN-gamma and IL-4 were unchanged, while sCD23 decreased from a median of 72 to 9 U/mL (P = .0005) with disease progression in the full cohort. In contrast to other subjects, the subgroup of individuals with total IgE > 150 IU/mL in both early and late HIV disease demonstrated an increased frequency of aeroallergen-specific IgE.


CONCLUSIONS
The elevation of total IgE associated with rapid HIV-1 disease progression was unexplained by concurrent changes in aeroallergen-specific IgE, IL-4, IFN-gamma, or sCD23. Overall, aeroallergen-specific IgE expression was less prevalent with HIV-1 progression, except in those individuals with elevated total IgE both before and after progression to AIDS.
Goetz
D W
DW
Allergy-Immunology Department, Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland AFB, Texas, USA.
Webb
E L
EL
Whisman
B A
BA
Freeman
T M
TM
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000032:analysis*; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D001793:Blood Preservation; D018450:Disease Progression; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D000939:Epitopes; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood*; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D017455:Receptors, IgE / Q000097:blood; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
D000485:Allergens; D000939:Epitopes; D017455:Receptors, IgE; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D007371:Interferon-gamma