HIV/AIDS Monitoring Tests: CD4 (T-Cell) Tests

The Basics | Research | CD4 Testing for HIV-Infected People in Resource-Poor Areas | Track Your Tests With TheBody.com's HIV/AIDS Health Tracker!

My CD4 count has decreased, but my CD4 percentage has gone up. What does that mean?
Can you explain "viral load" and "CD4 cell count," and detail how they are measured?
Are there any HIV drugs -- or other medications -- known to increase CD4 counts?
My doc says that my CD4 count isn't that important because my viral load is undetectable -- is this true?

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Questions

The Basics

FAQs About CD4 (T-Cell) Count From The Body's "Ask the Experts" Forums (Regularly Updated)
From The Body's "Ask the Experts" Forums
CD4 Cell Tests (February 9, 2011)
To read PDF, click here.
From AIDS InfoNet
Diagnostic, Monitoring and Resistance Laboratory Tests for HIV (June 2010)
To read PDF, click here.
From New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute
Understanding CD4 Cells and CD4 Cell Tests (January 2010)
From The Well Project
How the Immune System Fights Disease (September 18, 2008)
Great primer on how T cells work.
In AIDS 101, from San Francisco AIDS Foundation
Blood Work: Two Common Tests to Use for Monitoring HIV Disease (January 2008)
To read PDF, click here.
From Project Inform
Measuring Memory T-Cell Responses (Winter 2001/2002)
[Archived Article]
To read PDF, click here.
In ACRIA Update, from AIDS Community Research Initiative of America

Research

CD4 Quick Test Helps Increase Number of Patients Who Return for HIV Test Results (October 4, 2011)
In Kaiser Daily Global Health Policy Report, from Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
HIV Point of Care Diagnostics Pipeline (September 2011)
In 2011 Pipeline Report, from Treatment Action Group and HIV i-Base
Focusing on CD8: The "Other T Cell" in HIV Infection (March 14, 2011)
From amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research
Reported CD4+ T-Lymphocyte Results for Adults and Adolescents With HIV Infection -- 37 States, 2005–2007 (March 2011)
To read PDF, click here.
In HIV Surveillance Supplemental Report, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Overweight People With HIV See Lower CD4 Gain While on HIV Medications, Study Suggests (November 19, 2009)
An interview with Nancy Crum-Cianflone, M.D., M.P.H.
In HIV News & Views, from The Body
A Hint at Why Some People on HAART Experience a Falling CD4 Count (June 1, 2009)
From Journal Watch
Study Confirms Importance of CD4 Increase, Undetectable Viral Load After Starting HAART (March 28, 2008)
From aidsmap.com
HIV Viral Load Is Not Reliable Indicator for CD4+ T Cell Counts, Study Says (September 28, 2006)
[Archived Article]
In Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, from Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
To Start or Not to Start? CD4 Percentage May Provide Guidance (August 29, 2005)
[Archived Article]
Among people with a CD4 count above 350, HIV disease progression is found to be 3.6 times more likely for those with a CD4 percentage below 17%.
From aidsmap.com
The Buzz: The Disconnect Syndrome -- A Controversial Dilemma (May/June 2002)
[Archived Article]
To read PDF, click here.
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network

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