Risks Strating Treatment With Cd4 Below 100

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Understanding CD4 Cells and CD4 Cell Tests

The Basics CD4 Count and HIV CD4 Count and HIV Treatment CD4 Cell Test The Bottom Line The Basics Your immune system protects your body by fighting germs and infections.White blood cells are an important part of your immune system. HIV infects and destroys a type of white blood cell called aCD4 cell (sometimes called a T-cell). When the immune system loses too many CD4 cells, it becomes weak and isunable to fight off germs. At...

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CD4 Count V. CD4% Count (ABSOLUTE CD4 COUNT VERSUS CD4%, 2010) (WHEN TO START TREATMENT, 2010)

Hi,I was diagnosed with HIV around 15 months ago. Since then my health has been good (especially in the last six months) but my CD4 count has fallen a bit rapidly from 470 to 371 to 324 over this time period. However, my CD4 percentage count has...

Response from Robert J. Frascino, M.D.

The Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation

Hello,You are correct: The CD4% is generally considered the more accurate indicator of immune integrity, as it doesn't tend to fluctuate as much due to intercurrent illnesses and other non-HIV-related factors. (See below.)Regarding beginning... Read more »

Cancer risk: what's worst, high cd4 but not on meds or low cd4 but suppressed?

High Dr McGowan,My close friend has just been diagnosed with lymphoma. He is HIV positive but not on medication. He has a high CD4 count (greater than 600, and good percentage). This was a shock given his strong immune system, so my question is, in...

Response from Joseph McGowan, M.D., F.A.C.P.

North Shore University Hospital

Dear Michael,Sorry to hear about your friend. Most experience has been with people getting cancers and lymphomas with low CD4 counts. In that case people do well by starting antiretroviral treatment along with the chemotherapy and survival rates... Read more »

CD Count. (CD4 COUNTS NOT INCREASING DESPITE UNDETECTABLE VIRAL LOAD, 2010) (LACK OF CD4 RESPONSE DESPITE TREATMENT, 2010)

Since my last consultation 6 months ago my CD4 count has gone up 2 only points from 153 to 155.I got this new result yesturday. My last increase was almost 50 points in 6 months. How concerned should I be about such a slow and disappointing...

Response from Robert J. Frascino, M.D.

The Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation

Hi,The problem of poor CD4 response despite use of effective antiretroviral therapy that drives the HIV plasma viral load to undetectable levels is a vexing and perplexing problem. We still don't completely understand the reason for this... Read more »

CD4/CD8 ratio and CD4

Dear Judith, I have been recently diagnosed HIV+ (June 02) and have some questions regarding both the CD4/CD8 ratio and CD4 which do not seem to be spoken about as much as the CD4 absolute.My first question is what exactly are CD8 cells? What...

Response from Susan Little, M.D.

University of California San Diego

This question has been forwarded to me since I specialize in primary HIV infection. CD8 cells are a type of white blood cell that is involved in fighting certain types of infection (such as HIV). The total CD8 cell count actually goes down... Read more »

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33rd day elisa,cd4 count, and Viral load accurate?

Posted by Anonymous, 1 Reply

Hey all. Im the "oral DOES =HIV" guy. Well it looks like gmanbill and deb tex are right on. just one question. I went to the doctor and told him my symptoms. He checked me out from head to toe. He was just as concerned as I was, as I had swollen... Read more »

Help! BF has low CD4 and high VL

Posted by LoveofMyLife, 2 Replies

Hi everyone. I'm negative. My bf has been positive for 21 years. He has been non-compliant with his meds off and on over the years. This week, we found out that his CD4 is 65 and VL is 80,000. His doc (an HIV Specialist) is doing the resistance... Read more »

CD4+Tcell count indicative of nothing.

Posted by TonyF, 4 Replies

This, rather than being a myth the public promotes, could be considered a myth that the medical establishment promotes. We are led to believe that our bi-yearly doctor checkup of our CD4+Tcell count is a good baseline determination of where we... Read more »

cd4 at 35 and viral load 521 advice please!!!!

Posted by poliwog, 5 Replies

I just got back my labs. I started on Combivir and Kaletra 6 months ago. My viral load was over 100K and mt cd4 at 90. Afer 6 months my VL wentr way down but my cd4 count is 35. I was given two meds to fight any possible secondary infections and... Read more »

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