Lymphocyte subset abnormalities in multitransfused HIV-negative haemophilia A patients are not due to chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

Several abnormalities of immune parameters have been described in HIV-negative haemophiliacs, including changes in numbers of T4 and T8 cells, T4/T8 ratio and numbers of activated T cells. To assess the contribution of hepatitis C to these abnormalities, we compared lymphocyte subsets in 20 HIV-negative HCV-positive haemophilia A patients and in 14 non-haemophiliacs with chronic hepatitis C with those in 18 healthy controls. In haemophilia patients, higher numbers of T lymphocytes and activated T8 cells, lower numbers of B lymphocytes and a normal T4/T8 ratio were seen. These differences were either not demonstrated in hepatitis C controls or were less pronounced and in the opposite direction. We conclude that haemophilia A patients showed abnormalities in lymphocyte subsets that could not be attributed to chronic hepatitis C.