CD4 (T-Cell) Tests

BROWSE TOPICS IN HIV TREATMENT:

HIV Treatment: Home Page

Just Diagnosed

HIV Medications

First Steps to Treatment

HIV Drug Resistance

Switching or Stopping Treatment

Third Line/Rescue Treatment

Hepatitis C Coinfection

Women & Pregnancy

HIV Treatment for Children

Side Effects & Health Problems

Research & Experimental Drugs

HIV Treatment in the Developing World

CD4 (T-Cell) Tests

The Basics | Research | Substitutes for CD4 Tests in Resource-Poor Areas

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?

» More
Questions

The Basics

FAQs About CD4 (T-Cell) Count (Regularly Updated)
From The Body's "Ask the Experts" Forums
CD4 Cell Tests (January 30, 2008)
To read PDF, click here
From AIDS InfoNet
Blood Work: Two Common Tests to Use for Monitoring HIV Disease (January 2008)
To read PDF, click here
From Project Inform
How the Immune System Fights Disease (September 14, 2007)
Great primer on how T cells work.
In AIDS 101: Guide to HIV Basics, from San Francisco AIDS Foundation
Measuring Memory T-Cell Responses (Winter 2001/2002)
To read PDF, click here
In ACRIA Update, from AIDS Community Research Initiative of America

Research

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)
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)
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)
To read PDF, click here
In Positively Aware, from Test Positive Aware Network

Substitutes for CD4 Tests in Resource-Poor Areas

Symptoms Nearly as Effective as Labs in Determining Whether to Switch HIV Meds (April 25, 2008)
In aidsmap.com
PLoS Medicine Articles Discuss Simple CD4 Testing in Developing Countries (July 27, 2005)
In Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, from Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
Predicting CD4+ Cell Counts Where There Are None (July/August 2005)
In resource-poor areas, TLC cutoffs and anemia may serve as surrogate markers for the need to start HIV treatment.
From The Body PRO
PointCare: A CD4+ Cell Test for Resource-Limited Settings (February 25, 2005)
In The 12th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, from The Body PRO
CD4 Monitoring in Resource-Limited Settings: The State of the Art at AIDS 2004 (July/August 2004)
A summary of recent research on low-cost substitutes for conventional CD4 counts.
In GMHC Treatment Issues, from Gay Men's Health Crisis
Total Lymphocyte Count Monitoring Can Be a Lower-Cost Surrogate for CD4 Count Monitoring Following Initiation of HAART (July 2004)
Abstract of a study published in JAIDS.
In IAPAC Monthly, from International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care
Less Expensive HIV Progression Test as Effective as Current Tests in Use (November 22, 2002)
In CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update, from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The Body is a service of Body Health Resources Corporation, 250 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10107. The Body and its logos are trademarks of Body Health Resources Corporation, which owns the copyright of The Body's homepage, topic pages, page designs and HTML code. General Disclaimer: The Body is designed for educational purposes only and is not engaged in rendering medical advice or professional services. The information provided through The Body should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease. It is not a substitute for professional care. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, consult your health care provider.