[Correlation between CD4 lymphocytes and viral load in patients with HIV and tuberculosis].
OBJECTIVE
A retrospective study of the correlation between CD4 lymphocytes and the viral load in 16 HIV-patients with tuberculosis.


METHODS
The clinical forms of presentation of tuberculosis were classified according to the location/s of the disease into: pulmonary, distinguishing between typical pulmonary and atypical according to the radiological pattern; extrapulmonary; mixed forms: pulmonary and extrapulmonary; and miliary tuberculosis.


RESULTS
Tuberculosis was exclusively pulmonary in 7 cases (44%), all were atypical; extrapulmonary 6 (38%); mixed 2 (12%); and miliary 1 (6%). The mean CD4 lymphocyte count was 111.1 (range 5-360), in 11 (69%) the counts were below 200 cells/mm3. The lowest CD4 count was in the mixed forms with a mean of 45 cells/mm3 whilst the highest was obtained in pulmonary forms with a mean of 128.3 cells/mm3. The mean viral load was 4.82 log (range, 0-5.93), the highest load was for mixed forms with a mean 5.69 log, whereas the lowest load was for pulmonary forms with a mean of 4.19 log. No significant correlation was observed between CD4 lymphocytes and viral load (correlation coefficient--0.1163).


CONCLUSIONS
Though no significant correlation was observed, a high CD4 was associated to a low viral load and inversely a low CD4 with a high viral load.
Lado Lado
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FL
Servicio de Medicina Interna, Unidad de SIDA, Hospital Clínico Universitario, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, LA Coruña.
Prieto Martínez
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A
Losada Arias
E
E
Cabarcos Ortiz de Barrón
A
A
Aguilera Guirao
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A
Pérez del Molino
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ML
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*; D019562:Viral Load