Jafari S, Rasoolinejad M, Emadi Kouchak H, Mokarami F,
Volume 67, Issue 7 (10-2009)
Abstract
Normal
0
false
false
false
EN-US
X-NONE
AR-SA
MicrosoftInternetExplorer4
Background: CD4 T-Lymphocyte counts have proven to be a standard
laboratory marker of disease progression and severity of immunodeficiency in
adults infected with HIV is used to initiate and monitor highly active
antiretroviral therapy however, its application may not be feasible for its
expensive equipments and reagent in resource-limited setting. There is a need
to have another marker of immunodeficiency that is less resource-demanding. In
April 2002, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended that, when CD4 cell count is not available, a
TLC of
1200cell/mm3
or less in individuals with stage 2 or 3 of the disease may be used as an indication to
initiate ART.
Methods: The aim of this study was to determine the
relationship between total lymphocyte count and CD4 count in HIV-infected
adults. This was a retrospective cross-sectional study. Subject characteristics
were patients who had positive serologic HIV test results, confirmed via western blot. Analysis unit was the
results of CBC and CD4 measurements on the same blood sample each time. Data
of 100
patients were collected. In this study, TLC accounts for the main predictor of CD4 count. The
amounts of TLC which can predict CD4 less than 200cell/mm3 were considered eligible.
Results: Our data revealed high sensitivity and specificity of TLC as a surrogate
measure of CD4 count. In this study, TLC cutoff of 1300cell/mm3 indicated the optimal combined sensitivity and specificity altogether.
Conclusion: Total lymphocyte count and its changes can be used as
alternative to CD4
count and its changes in the management of HIV-infected individuals.
