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PRINT ISSN : 2319-7692
Online ISSN : 2319-7706 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorijcmas@gmail.com / submit@ijcmas.com Editor-in-chief: Dr.M.Prakash Index Copernicus ICV 2018: 95.39 NAAS RATING 2020: 5.38 |
The CD4 count is estimated in HIV infected persons to stage HIV disease, determine disease progression and assess response to antiretroviral therapy (ART). A two-year prospective study was conducted to correlate the CD4 cell count with clinicoimmunological recovery in HIV infected patients on ART. Methods: The baseline CD4 count and clinical profile of 1362 HIV seropositive patients (diagnosed using 3 E/R/S/ (Strategy III, NACO Guidelines) was determined, and patients with CD4 count <350 cells/µL were started on ART. CD4 counts were re-estimated after six and 12 months along with current clinical profile. Statistical analysis was done using the Chi-square test, and p<0.05 was considered significant. Results: Sustained and consistent increase in CD4 count was seen in 84.9% of patients and in 94.7% of cases) on antiretroviral therapy after 6 months and 12 months of treatment, respectively, along with concomitant improvement in the clinical profile and reduction in the prevalence of OIs. Conclusions: The CD4 count is the hallmark surrogate marker for assessing prognosis in HIV infected patients. In untreated cases, CD4 counts decline and symptoms and OIs appear whereas after ART, patients that respond to treatment show consistent and sustained increase in CD4 count and improvement in clinical symptomatology.