CD4+ Count: Why It Is Done
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Why It Is Done
CD4+ counts are done to:
- Monitor how the HIV infection is affecting your immune system.
- Help diagnose acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). HIV causes AIDS, a long-term chronic disease that cannot be cured.
- Decide when to start antiretroviral therapy, which slows the rate that HIV grows in the body. See the Results section for more information.
- Evaluate your risk for developing other infections (opportunistic infections).
- Decide when to start treatment to prevent opportunistic infections, such as medicines to prevent Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP).
A CD4+ cell count taken at the time you are diagnosed serves as the baseline against which future CD4+ cell counts will be compared. Your CD4+ cell count is monitored every 3 to 6 months, depending on your health status, previous CD4+ cell counts, and whether you are taking highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) medications.
| Last updated: | March 01, 2007 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS |
| Reviewed By: | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine, Peter Shalit, MD, PhD - Internal Medicine |
| Editors: | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer |
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