Question
What do CD4 count and CD4% results mean?
1 December 2010. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load, Starting treatment.
Question:
Hello there,
My nephew started treatment with Stocrin (Efavirenz) and Combivir with a T CD4% of 10.3 % and ABS CD4 170 cells/UL. and a viral load of 714049. After six weeks of treatment his CD4% is 15.6% and ABS CD4 134 cell/UL., viral load 267.
His doctor said the treatment is working for him. I would nevertheless appreciate your comments and opinion. Why is the ABS CD4 170 when the CD4% is 10.3 but comes down to 134 despite the increase in CD4% to 15.6?
I look forward to your reply.
Thank you so much.
Answer
Thank you for your email.
It is great that your nephew is on treatment and I agree with the doctor that the treatment seems to be working for him.
CD4 count fluctuates all the time. The immune system responds to things going on therefore it changes. For instance, CD4 counts are different in the morning to the afternoon. But CD4% do not fluctuate that much and are relatively stable once the treatment starts to work. Doctors rely on the CD4% rather than the CD4 count to gauge what is happening to the immune system of someone who is HIV positive.
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