Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 7, 2026

Comprehensive & Cost Effective Laboratory Monitoring of HIV/AIDS: an African Role Model
23:56

Comprehensive & Cost Effective Laboratory Monitoring of HIV/AIDS: an African Role Model

Published on: October 31, 2010

[Course and prognosis of levels of CD4 molecules in HIV-infected patients]

J Pinilla Moraza1, F Antón Botella, P Labarga Echeverría

  • 1Servicio de Medicina Interna, Complejo Hospitalario San Millán-San Pedro, Logroño, La Rioja.

Anales De Medicina Interna (Madrid, Spain : 1984)
|July 1, 1997
PubMed

Insights

In HIV patients, both CD4 lymphocyte counts and CD4 molecule concentration decrease over time. CD4 molecule concentration is a valuable prognostic marker for disease progression, similar to CD4 lymphocyte counts.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Virology
  • Clinical Medicine

Background:

  • Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection leads to a decline in immune function.
  • CD4+ T lymphocytes are critical for immune response and are a primary target of HIV.
  • Monitoring CD4 cell counts is standard for assessing HIV disease progression.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To measure CD4 molecule concentration on lymphocyte surfaces in HIV-infected patients.
  • To track the evolution of CD4 molecule concentration over one year.
  • To evaluate CD4 molecule concentration as a prognostic marker for HIV disease progression compared to CD4 lymphocyte counts.

Main Methods:

  • Collected clinical and analytical data from 107 HIV patients, with 64 completing one year of follow-up.
  • Measured CD4 molecule concentration using immunoassay and CD4 cell counts.
  • Classified patients based on initial CD4 counts and clinical status (asymptomatic, AIDS-related complex, AIDS).

Main Results:

  • A significant decrease in T4 lymphocytes and CD4 molecules was observed in the overall population and specific subgroups.
  • Progressors showed significantly lower mean T4 lymphocyte counts (140/mm3) and CD4 molecule concentrations (3.87 pmol/l) compared to non-progressors.
  • In asymptomatic patients, only the decrease in CD4 molecule concentration reached statistical significance.

Conclusions:

  • Both CD4 lymphocyte count and CD4 molecule concentration decline over time in HIV-infected individuals.
  • CD4 molecule concentration serves as a prognostic marker for HIV disease progression, comparable in value to CD4 lymphocyte counts.
  • The measurement of CD4 molecule concentration offers a similar prognostic utility to CD4 lymphocyte enumeration in HIV management.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Humanized NOD/SCID/IL2rγnull (hu-NSG) Mouse Model for HIV Replication and Latency Studies07:10

Humanized NOD/SCID/IL2rγnull (hu-NSG) Mouse Model for HIV Replication and Latency Studies

Published on: January 7, 2019

Chronic, Acute, and Reactivated HIV Infection in Humanized Immunodeficient Mouse Models09:54

Chronic, Acute, and Reactivated HIV Infection in Humanized Immunodeficient Mouse Models

Published on: December 3, 2019

Related Concept Videos

Retrovirus Life Cycles01:10

Retrovirus Life Cycles

Retroviruses have a single-stranded RNA genome that undergoes a special form of replication. Once the retrovirus has entered the host cell, an enzyme called reverse transcriptase synthesizes double-stranded DNA from the retroviral RNA genome. This DNA copy of the genome is then integrated into the host’s genome inside the nucleus via an enzyme called integrase. Consequently, the retroviral genome is transcribed into RNA whenever the host’s genome is transcribed, allowing the retrovirus to...
Cryptococcal Meningitis01:27

Cryptococcal Meningitis

Cryptococcal meningitis is a life-threatening opportunistic infection predominantly associated with HIV/AIDS, accounting for over 100,000 deaths annually worldwide. However, it also affects individuals with other forms of immunosuppression, including those undergoing immunosuppressive therapy, organ transplant recipients, patients with innate immunodeficiencies, and individuals with hematological disorders. The infection is caused mainly by Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii,...