web analytics
medical decision support 1 medical decision support 2
Subscribe Sign In

CD4-to-CD8 Lymphocyte Ratio

Purpose: To measure lymphocyte subsets to aid in the management of a patient infected with HIV.

Description

In patients with HIV infection, lymphopenia can occur with disease progression. To assess the degree of involvement, lymphocyte subset enumeration is done. Normally helper T lymphocytes (marked by CD4) exceed suppressor T lymphocytes (marked by CD8). In HIV disease suppressor cells exceed helper cells.


 

Parameters:

(1) CD4+ lymphocyte count

(2) CD8+ lymphocyte count

 

CD4-to-CD8 ratio =

= (CD4 lymphocyte count per µL) / (CD8 lymphocyte count per µL)

 

Interpretation:

• The normal CD4:CD8 ratio is approximately 2 (range 1.0 - 3.5).

• In a patient with AIDS, the ratio is 0.5 - 1.0

 


To read more or access our algorithms and calculators, please log in or register.

Specialty

Objective

ICD-10