A comparison of bone marrow findings in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS related conditions.

Bone marrow biopsies and smears were examined from 70 patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or AIDS related conditions: 32 patients with AIDS; 9, at risk, group patients with B-cell lymphoma; 22 patients with AIDS related complex (ARC) and 7, at risk, group patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). The first three groups showed similarity with respect to frequency of nonspecific findings: hypo and hypercellularity, marrow damage, lymphoid aggregates, histiocytosis, plasmacytosis and features of myelodysplasia. AFB and fungal organisms were present in the biopsies of 17 per cent of AIDS and 18 per cent of ARC patients. The organisms were associated with bone marrow granulomas or histiocytosis, peripheral lymphopenia and anemia. Only one out of 9 biopsies in patients with previous diagnoses of lymphoma showed involvement of the marrow. One case each of Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were discovered incidentally among the 22 biopsies from ARC patients without a previous diagnosis of lymphoma. Except for those presenting with ITP alone, bone marrow changes are similar in patients with AIDS and AIDS related conditions.