Serum ferritin levels in normal and HIV-1 infected pregnant women.

Between May, 1994 and May, 1995 serum ferritin concentrations were measured in 74 pregnant women who were HIV-1 positive (17 with CD4 cell counts below 200 cells/uL) and in 148 HIV-1 negative pregnant controls in first trimester of gestation to determine if a high level of serum ferritin is present in pregnant women with HIV-1 infection. Comparisons were made between groups stratified by CD4 cell counts. Pregnant women with HIV-1 infection had 92% higher mean serum ferritin levels (112.8 versus 58.8 ug/L, p < 0.005) compared to controls, whereas the mean maternal age, parity, gestational age, haemoglobin levels and body mass index at entry into the study did not differ significantly between the control and HIV-1 infection groups. The serum ferritin levels inversely correlated with the percentage of CD4 lymphocytes, CD4 cell counts and the CD4/CD8 ratio. This study suggests that serum ferritin levels can also be used as an immunological marker in HIV-1 infected pregnant women.