Progression to AIDS in French haemophiliacs : association with HLA-B35

Objective: To evaluate whether HLA-B35 influences progression to AIDS in HIV-seropositive subjects with haemophilia. Design: Retrospective (before 1985) and prospective (after 1985) follow-up of a group of French haemophiliacs. Methods: We studied 144 seropositive patients with moderate or severe haemophilia A or B or von Willebrand's disease. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to screen patient sera for total HIV antigen and core p24 antigen antibodies. All patients were typed for HLA A, B and C antigens in the same laboratory. Time of seroconversion was estimated to be the mid-point between the last seronegative test and the first seropositive test