title: Establishment of reference CD4+ T cell values for adult Indian population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  CD4+ T lymphocyte counts are the most important indicator of disease progression and success of antiretroviral treatment in HIV infection in resource limited settings. The nationwide reference range of CD4+ T lymphocytes was not available in India. This study was conducted to determine reference values of absolute CD4+ T cell counts and percentages for adult Indian population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multicentric study was conducted involving eight sites across the country. A total of 1206 (approximately 150 per/centre) healthy participants were enrolled in the study. The ratio of male (N = 645) to female (N = 561) of 1.14:1. The healthy status of the participants was assessed by a pre-decided questionnaire. At all centers the CD4+ T cell count, percentages and absolute CD3+ T cell count and percentages were estimated using a single platform strategy and lyse no wash technique. The data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Scientist (SPSS), version 15) and Prism software version 5.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The absolute CD4+ T cell counts and percentages in female participants were significantly higher than the values obtained in male participants indicating the true difference in the CD4+ T cell subsets. The reference range for absolute CD4 count for Indian male population was 381-1565 cells/μL and for female population was 447-1846 cells/μL. The reference range for CD4% was 25-49% for male and 27-54% for female population. The reference values for CD3 counts were 776-2785 cells/μL for Indian male population and 826-2997 cells/μL for female population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study used stringent procedures for controlling the technical variation in the CD4 counts across the sites and thus could establish the robust national reference ranges for CD4 counts and percentages. These ranges will be helpful in staging the disease progression and monitoring antiretroviral therapy in HIV infection in India.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, National AIDS Research Institute, G-73, MIDC, Bhosari, Pune, 411026, India. mthakar@nariindia.org.
authors.forename: Madhuri R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Thakar
authors.forename: Philip R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Abraham
authors.forename: Sunil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arora
authors.forename: Pachamuthu
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Balakrishnan
authors.forename: Bhaswati
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bandyopadhyay
authors.forename: Ameeta A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.forename: K Rekha
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Devi
authors.forename: Ravi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vasanthapuram
authors.forename: Madhu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vajpayee
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Desai
authors.forename: Janardhanan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mohanakrishnan
authors.forename: Kanwar
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Narain
authors.forename: Krishnangshu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.forename: Shilpa S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Patil
authors.forename: Ravinder
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Anuj
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Singla
authors.forename: Ramesh S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Paranjape