Laboratory indicators for monitoring HIV disease
Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz
; 91(3): 359-362, May-Jun. 1996.
Article
em En
| LILACS
| ID: lil-319862
Biblioteca responsável:
BR1.1
RESUMO
Immunological monitoring of disease progression following HIV infection and seroconversion illness, latency and AIDS, not only helps in the basic investigation of the natural history of the viral infection in man, but also can assist in prognosis and treatment of AIDS-defining illnesses. However, outside clinical trials, these tests should be selected and used in clinical practice only if they are validated as relevant and effective. The absolute CD4+ T-helper lymphocyte count, measured by flow cytometry, has emerged as the best available investigation, but needs care in sampling due to diurnal and circadian rhythms, effects of age, pregnancy, therapy, intercurrent infections and technique. Sampling should provide a baseline and trends-monthly intervals initially, then quarterly in uncomplicated cases. Thresholds may be given for counts (e.g. 200/microliter) below which prophylaxis against pneumocystis pneumonia should be administered, and repeating persistently low counts (e.g. below 50/microliter) is seldom helpful in practice. Serum levels of beta-2 microglobulin, neopterin and immunoglobulins rarely add information. Physicians and laboratories should have testing guidelines based on clinical audit of best practice, based in turn on scientific understanding of the immunological processes involved.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
LILACS
Assunto principal:
Monitorização Imunológica
/
Síndrome da Imunodeficiência Adquirida
Tipo de estudo:
Guideline
/
Prognostic_studies
Limite:
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz
Assunto da revista:
MEDICINA TROPICAL
/
PARASITOLOGIA
Ano de publicação:
1996
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Reino Unido