CD4 percentage is an independent predictor of survival in patients starting antiretroviral therapy with absolute CD4 cell counts between 200 and 350 cells/mL

2006 | HIV Medicine

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16903983

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prognostic value of baseline CD4 percentage in terms of patient survival in comparison to absolute CD4 cell counts for HIV-positive patients initiating highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). METHODS: A population-based cohort study of 1,623 antiretroviral therapy-naïve HIV-positive individuals who initiated HAART between 1 August 1996 and 30 June 2002 was conducted. Cumulative mortality rates were estimated using Kaplan-Meier methods. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to model the effect of baseline CD4 strata and CD4 percentage strata and other prognostic variables on survival. A subgroup analysis was conducted on 417 AIDS-free subjects with baseline CD4 counts between 200 and 350 cells/microL. RESUTLS: In multivariate models, low CD4 percentages were associated with increased risk of death [CD4%<5, relative hazard (RH)=4.46; CD4% 5-14, RH=2.43; P<0.01 for both] when compared with those subjects with an initial CD4 fraction of 15% or greater, but had less predictive value than absolute CD4 counts. In subgroup analyses where absolute CD4 strata were not associated with mortality, a baseline CD4 fraction below 15% [RH=2.71; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.20-6.10], poor adherence to therapy and baseline viral load >100,000 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL were associated with an increased risk of death. CONCLUSION: CD4 percentages below 15% are independent predictors of mortality in AIDS-free patients starting HAART, including those with CD4 counts between 200 and 350 cells/microL. CD4 percentage should be considered for inclusion in guidelines used to determine when to start therapy.

BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS

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CD4 percentage is an independent predictor of survival in patients starting antiretroviral therapy with absolute CD4 cell counts between 200 and 350 cells/mL

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