title: CD4+ T-cell number at the time of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
abstract: In this article, the authors adapt and extend the methodology of Phillips (Phillips et al. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 1992;5:148-52) to estimate the distribution of CD4+ T-cell number at the time of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and to estimate the correlation between CD4+ T-cell number at AIDS and CD4+ T-cell number prior to human immunodeficiency virus infection. Using data from the Los Angeles portion of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study, the authors find that the median CD4+ T-cell count at the time of AIDS is 67 cells/mm3 with a 95% confidence interval of 58-84. The 5th and 95th percentiles of the distribution are 8 and 284, respectively. The authors estimate the correlation between the CD4+ T-cell number at the time of AIDS and the CD4+ T-cell number prior to human immunodeficiency virus infection to be 0.71 with a 95% confidence interval of 0.21-0.94. This very high correlation is suggestive of biologic hypotheses concerning possible control of the circulating CD4+ T-cell number. The high correlation can also be useful in determining when to start prophylactic treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, University of California, Los Angeles.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Sy
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Visscher
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Giorgi
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000097:blood*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D006801:Humans; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D012044:Regression Analysis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors