Clasificación clínica y comportamiento de las poblaciones linfocitarias en VIH positivos

Abstract

T, B, T CD4 and T CD8 lymphocyte typifying, using the immunochemical technique of complex alkaline phosphatase-alkaline antiphosphatase (APAAP) in thin smears, was carried out on 155 HIV positive individuals from the Social Security lnstitute in Cali (Colombia) to determine the behaviour of different lymphocyte populations throughout the different clinical stages of infection by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as established by the CDC. In stage II, T, 6, and CD4 patient's lymphocytes were found within the norms for the general population, while those of CD8 were increased. In stage III, the behaviour of the lymphocyte populations was similar except for as light increase in B lymphocytes. These stages only differed clinically because of the presence of adenopathies. In stage IV, a marked depletion of al1 the lymphocyte populations studied was observed. Dueto the early increase of CD8 in stages II and III, the relationship CD4lCD8 presents alterations and is less than 1 .O, even though the CD4 count is normal. However, when general depletion occurs in stage IV, its usefulness is limited and it is the CD4 count alone which is the most useful indicator of the illness's progression. Considering that the majority of prophylactic behaviour and treatment which is adopted for HIV positive patients is based on CD4 and the CD8 lymphocyte counts, it is of vital importance to make this methodology more accessible to patients as well as to implement other immunity evaluating tests, to be indicators of the illness's progression.