BmeT 1437 tiated glycogen-storage disease into a number of different types, and has revealed that the peripheral part of the glycogen molecule can undergo metabolic change independently of the central part. What light these new observations will throw on medicine will become clear early in the second century of glycogen. I believe that we can confidently assume that Claude Bernard would have given his interested approval to the many investigations into the structure and biosynthesis of glycogen which have taken place during the last twenty-five years of the first century of this substance.

No abstract

Summary In February 1986, 40 out of 75 adult patients with haemophilia A attending St. James's University Hospital were human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody positive. Over a three‐year period these patients were prospectively studied with regard to possible prognostic indicators for the development of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Using the Centres for Disease Control (CDC) classification of HIV infection, 17 patients (42.5%) developed group 4 disease during this time, giving an actuarial three‐year progression rate of 44%, and 5 patients (12.5%) died. The following parameters measured at recruitment were found independently to predict progression to AIDS: a serum β2‐m level of greater than 3.5 mg/l, (χ2= 1595, P < 0.001), a serum IgA level of greater than 4.5 g/l (χ2= 6.08, P < 0.02) and p24 antigenaemia (χ2= 5.7, P < 0.05). The actuarial three‐year progression rate in those patients abnormal by two or more of these parameters was 100% (n= 7), compared to only 7% in patients who were normal by all three values (n= 15). CD4 + lymphocyte counts and CD4 +: CD8+ ratios were significantly lower in HIV positive compared with HIV negative patients (P < 0.01), but did not predict the development of AIDS.