title: Beta2 microglobulin as a surrogate marker for HIV infection: good correlation with CD4 counts.
abstract: To determine if beta-2 microglobulin (beta2M) levels were elevated in our HIV infected patient population and if it could be used as a surrogate marker for disease progression. Thirty-eight HIV infected individuals and 26 age and sex-matched controls were studied. Measurement of CD4 cell count was carried out on a flowcytometer using anti-human CD4 monoclonal antibody and beta2M was measured by an enzyme immunoassay. Mean levels of HIV infected individuals were 1.29 +/- 0.52 mg/L and were significantly higher than 0.74 +/- 0.07 mg/L, the value of controls (p value <0.01). There was a negative correlation between CD4 counts and beta2M levels (r-value-0.79, p value <0.001). Beta2M levels in HIV infected individuals who have no opportunistic infection are elevated and these levels correlate with the CD4 counts. Beta2M can be used for the clinical follow-up of patients with HIV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India. awanchu@yahoo.com
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wanchu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arora
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bhatnagar
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sud
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bambery
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin