Serum ferritin in acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

Ferritin has been linked to a variety of immunosuppressive effects on cell-mediated immunity. Therefore, serum ferritin was measured by radioimmunoassay in patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), AIDS-related complex (ARC) and healthy heterosexual men. 13 of 15 patients with AIDS and 4 of 15 with ARC had ferritin levels greater than 300 micrograms/dl. This study suggests that the levels of serum ferritin increase with the progression of immune deficiency and might play a role in the pathogenesis of cell-mediated immune deficiency in AIDS.