Objectives: To study intrathecal kappa free light chain (KFLC) synthesis in people living with HIV (PLWH) in comparison with multiple sclerosis (MS).
Methods: Cross-sectional analysis including 56 untreated and 150 well treated PLWH, and compared with 58 controls, and 223 MS patients.
Results: Elevated serum/cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) IgG and KFLC indices were observed in untreated PLWH. Seventy percent of untreated PLWH had KFLC index above 6.1, a threshold associated with clinically isolated syndrome/MS diagnosis. No association was found between KFCL index and CSF markers of neuronal injury in either PLWH or MS patients.
Conclusions: HIV-related immune system dysfunction is often associated with an elevated KFLC index akin to those observed in MS. HIV infection should be considered as a differential diagnosis for patients presenting with neurological symptoms and increased intrathecal immunoglobulin synthesis.
Keywords: HIV; MS diagnosis; cerebrospinal fluid; intrathecal immunoglobulin; kappa free light chain; multiple sclerosis.
© 2024 the author(s), published by De Gruyter, Berlin/Boston.