The association of clinical conditions and serologic tests with CD4+ lymphocyte counts in HIV-infected subjects without AIDS.
Early intervention guidelines in HIV infection require knowledge of CD4+ lymphocyte count; however, CD4+ determinations require special laboratory procedures and may not be readily available in all situations. Using data from 207 HIV-seropositive homosexual men without AIDS, we evaluated the association of difference clinical conditions or serologic tests with CD4+ count. Men with conditions including seborrheic dermatitis, hairy leukoplakia, oral candidiasis and chronic diarrhea, and men with beta2-microglobulin levels greater than or equal to 4.0 mg/l had significantly lower CD4+ counts. However, the probability that a subject with such parameters had less than 200 x 10(6)/l CD4+ cells was limited (25-63%). Although the probability that a subject with such parameters had less than 500 x 10(6)/l CD4+ cells was better (76-88%), the probability that a person without these parameters had greater than or equal to 500 x 10(6)/l CD4+ cells was only 45-50%. Clinical and serologic parameters may provide important prognostic information, but cannot be used to reliably determine the level of CD4+ cells.
Lifson
A R
AR
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco 94143-0560.
Hessol
N A
NA
Buchbinder
S P
SP
Holmberg
S D
SD
D001727:Bisexuality; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D002180:Candidiasis, Oral / Q000209:etiology*; D012628:Dermatitis, Seborrheic / Q000209:etiology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000209:etiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D006287:Health Planning Guidelines; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D007971:Leukoplakia / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000032:analysis*
D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin