Saudi Journal of Pathology and Microbiology (SJPM)
Volume-3 | Issue-11 | 438-440
Original Research Article
Hematological findings in HIV Infection in Correlation to CD4 Cell Count
Dr. Anand Kalia, Dr. Sudhamani S, Dr. Prakash Roplekar
Published : Nov. 30, 2018
Abstract
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is caused by lymphotropic
retrovirus which was first recognised in 1981 and subsequently HIV was discovered in
1983. HIV infection causes derangement in hematopoietic system which directly
results in lymphopenia with the progression of disease and leads to decrease in CD4
lymphocytes, which is directly related to prognosis of disease. It is said that other blood
cells may also be deranged due to HIV infection leading to anemia, neutropenia or
thrombocytopenia. The purpose of this study was to assess various haematological
various haematological changes in HIV patients and to correlate the finding with CD4
counts. A total of 50 seropositive patients were studied over a period of 1 year. All
patients diagnosed as HIV 1 and 2 were included in the study. Patients with no
haematological study or CD4 count were excluded from the study. The hematological
parameters included under this study were – Hemoglobin, Total Leucocyte count,
Absolute Lymphocyte count, Platelet count, Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) and
CD4 count. In this study 26 (52%) were male and 24 (48%) were females. Majority of
cases (50%) were between the age of 30 – 44 years. Decrease in CD4 count correlated
with lymphopenia with CD4 count less than 500/µl in majority (88%). Anemia was the
commonest abnormality (62%), predominantly normocytic normochromic type.
Thrombocytopenia was the least noted (14%). This study reiterated that absolute
lymphocyte count is the best correlated parameter with CD4 count in seropositive
patients.