Erythropoietin and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) levels in sera of patients with HIV infection.

Levels of erythropoietin and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) were measured in sera of 28 HIV-seronegative heterosexual non-intravenous drug using controls, 57 HIV-seronegative and 42 HIV-seropositive asymptomatic intravenous drug users (IVDU) and 36 HIV-seronegative and 36 HIV-seropositive homosexuals, 79 patients with lymphadenopathy, 11 patients with AIDS-related complex (ARC) and 110 patients with AIDS. Serum erythropoietin levels were significantly elevated in HIV-seronegative and HIV-seropositive asymptomatic homosexuals and in patients with lymphadenopathy, ARC and AIDS when compared to controls. However, in asymptomatic HIV-seronegative and HIV-seropositive IVDU the erythropoietin levels were not significantly different from the control group. GM-CSF mean levels in both HIV-seronegative and HIV-seropositive IVDU were elevated compared with the level in controls, whereas the mean levels in both the HIV-seronegative and HIV-seropositive homosexuals were decreased relative to the level in controls. GM-CSF levels in patients with lymphadenopathy, ARC and AIDS were not significantly different from the control value. It appears that male homosexuals have mildly increased erythropoietin levels which rise substantially with the development of ARC and AIDS, which suggests that AIDS patients have intact capacity to produce erythropoietin. In contrast, GM-CSF levels are increased in association with IVDU but are not increased in association with HIV infection including ARC or AIDS. The difference in circulating levels of erythropoietin and GM-CSF may reflect the tissue sources of erythropoietin predominantly in the kidney and GM-CSF being a product of the immunological and inflammatory systems.