EPO and anemia (phenotype): Immunoreactive hormone such as erythropoietin levels in HIV infected patients showed that levels of the hormone failed to rise commensurately with increasing anaemia, suggesting that insufficient amounts of erythropoietin may be one cause of this anaemia.11 Studies have also suggested that soluble factors in the serum of HIV-infected patients may inhibit haematopoiesis also that direct HIV infection of marrow progenitor cells may play a role in producing anaemia and other haematologic abnormally associated with HIV infection.12,13