Effect of Early ART on CD4 and CD8 Cell Count and Ratio

Starting ART at higher CD4 counts made reaching normal count more likely, but CD8 levels remained elevated, resulting in persistently decreased CD4/CD8 ratios.

Data remain limited on the long-term immune benefit of early initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV infection, including whether key immune parameters can match those of uninfected persons. In this study, longitudinal CD4 and CD8 cell counts for about 60,000 HIV+ individuals were compared with reference values derived from 2300 HIV-negative persons. A focus for the cross-sectional analysis was whether CD4 and CD8 counts reached the reference values when ART was started with a CD4 count >500 cells/mm³.

After 8 years of suppressive ART, only the individuals who started ART at CD4 cell counts >500 cells/mm³ reached the median reference CD4 count (830 cells/mm³ for men, 1005 cells/mm³ for women). CD8 cell counts decreased after start…

Reviewing Author

Keith Henry, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardViiV Advisory Board

Editorial BoardsJAIDS: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes

Keith Henry, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardViiV Advisory Board

Editorial BoardsJAIDS: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes

Effect of Early ART on CD4 and CD8 Cell Count and Ratio

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Reviewing Author