Thrombocytopenia in HIV infection

Abstract

Thrombocytopenia commonly occurs in individuals with HIV disease. However, profound thrombocytopenia, occurring in only 1.5% of cases, is relatively rare. The mechanisms of thrombocytopenia appear to be multifactorial: profound thrombocytopenia in HIV disease is related to an immune destruction either by antiplatelet antibodies or by immune complexes. In addition, a defect in platelet production is quite frequent both in immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) and in mild thrombocytopenia. This impaired platelet production may be due to an HIV infection of megakaryocytes that express a functional CD4 molecule. Treatment of HIV-associated thrombocytopenia is quite similar to that of non-HIV ITP. However, zidovudine increases the platelet count without correlation with its antiviral effect. In animal models and HIV patients, this enhancement of platelet count appears to be due to a stimulation of platelet production, the precise mechanism of which remains unknown. Splenectomy is as effective in severe HIV thrombocytopenia as in non-HIV ITP and has no significant adverse effects on HIV disease.