Evidence for lower CD4+ T cell and higher viral load in asymptomatic HIV-1 infected individuals of India: implications for therapy initiation

Kannangai, R.; Kandathil, A.J.; Ebenezer, D.L.; Nithyanandam, G.; Samuel, P.; Abraham, O.C.; Sudarsanam, T.D.; Pulimood, S.A.; Sridharan, G.

Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology 26(3): 217-221

2008


ISSN/ISBN: 0255-0857
PMID: 18695317
Document Number: 201943
We have earlier documented that the south Indian population had lower CD4 counts. The aim of this study was to investigate a previous suggestion on a new CD4+ T cell cut off and association with HIV-1 RNA levels for decision on anti retroviral therapy in India (south). We evaluated a new methodology i.e., artus real-time PCR and CD4+ T cell count by Guava EasyCD4 system. From 146 HIV infected individuals seen at a tertiary care centre, blood was collected for CD4+ T cell and HIV-1 RNA estimation. The receiver operating characteristic curve cut off value for the CD4 counts to distinguish between CDC clinical categories A and B was 243 cells/microL, and to distinguish B and C was 153 cells/microL. The RNA level that differentiated CDC A and B was 327473 RNA copies/mL, while for CDC B and C was 688543 copies/mL. There was a significant negative correlation (r = -0.55, P + T cell counts in HIV infected individuals. A majority with CD4 counts of 201-350 cells/microL in our population had higher viral load than the treatment threshold suggested by the International AIDS society and the above two methodologies are useful in monitoring HIV infections.

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