Question

Will changing treatment help my CD4:CD8 ratio?

2 August 2016. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load.

Hello, I am HIV positive and I have been on medication from 2004. I am taking nevirapine 200 mg and lamidudavine 100 mg and zidovodine 200 mg combination daily twice in morning and night. My viral load is less than 40 and CD4 count ia 907 as of today. How ever my cd4 cd8 ratio is 0.55 . Should I change medicines now ? Please advise.

Answer

Answer: Simon Collins

Hi

Your test results are really good. Your strong CD4 count will keep you healthy and the undetectable viral load will stop drug resistance.

The CD4:CD8 ratio is a different marker for the immune system. As there are no interventions to change this, you just have to accept it. There is no reason to change treatment – and changing treatment would not have any effect.

Even though having a CD4:CD8 ratio that is greater than 1.0 is ideal, unless you start HIV meds very soon after becoming HIV positive, most people will have a number that is less than 1.0.

See here for more info: https://i-base.info/qa/20