Background and objectives: In human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections,passive immunotherapy can be carried out through infusions of virusinactivated plasma from symptomless HIV-infected persons with abundant HIV antibodies. Materials and methods: We carried out a prospective, randomized,double-blind, controlled, passive immunotherapy study, which compared two groups. One received plasma rich in HIV antibodies, the other a standard seronegative plasma. Results: Measurement of the plasma HIV RNA load showed in both groups a significant decrease in the mean viral copy number at the end of the first month, followed by an increase at the third month. Beyond the third month, a significant decrease in viral load was observed only in the treatment group. A significant difference in favor of the treatment group was observed for plasma viremia by HIV culture. For the cytokines involved in the viral replication and for the immune activation markers such as neopterin and ß2-microglobulin, the biological analysis in plasma failed to show a significant difference in either group. Clinically, the treatment group benefited by delay in the appearance of the first AIDS-defining event and reduction in the cumulative incidence of such events. Conclusion: One possible interpretation is that passive immunotherapy affects plasma viral load, but there is no evidence that HIV-specific antibodies are exclusively responsible for the observed effects.

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1997
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