Both are made in your bone marrow, but B cells stay there to mature while T cells move the thymus to mature. B cells produce antibodies, which help your body fight harmful invaders such as bacteria, viruses and fungi. Getting regular CD4 counts will show how healthy your immune system is and whether your antiretroviral treatment is working.
CD4 levels used to be used to figure out when to start treatment, but now antiretroviral therapy is recommended for everyone diagnosed with HIV. DHHS guidelines recommend getting a CD4 test every three to six months during the first two years on treatment, if your viral load rises while on treatment or if your CD4 count is below The following is an example of a lab report for T cell measurements.
The numbers represent the amounts found in a small drop of blood called a cubic millimeter. You will usually see a range of numbers listed for each test result, so you can compare your numbers to what is the normal range for most HIV-negative people. This figure is rarely used for making treatment decisions. The proportion of all immune cells that are T cells. This figure is also rarely used for making treatment decisions.
The absolute number of CD4 cells. The normal range for an HIV-negative person is to 1, The goal of HIV treatment is to keep this number as high as possible for as long as possible. This may be more reliable because it tends to vary less than the CD4 count. CD4 percentage, rather than CD4 count, is used to monitor disease progression in children.
The absolute number of all CD8 cells, which include both killer and suppressor T cells. It is usually higher in a person with HIV. The proportion of all T cells that are CD8 cells. The CD8 percentage is sometimes more reliable because it tends to vary less than the CD8 count. The normal range for HIV-negative people is around 1. A chemistry screen reports the amounts of various chemicals in the blood. Several of these measurements could indicate drug side effects.
DHHS guidelines recommend getting a basic chem screen when you first seek HIV care, when you start or switch treatment and again at two to eight weeks after starting or switching therapy.
After that, these tests can be done every six months and whenever clinically indicated. If your doctor does glucose and lipid testing separate from the chem screen, these can be done every year. The food you eat is processed into glucose blood sugar , fats lipids and proteins in the body. Glucose levels in the blood are most reliably measured after fasting, for example in the morning before eating. Having elevated triglycerides and LDL is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, while a high HDL level is protective.
Some HIV meds can alter triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, phosphate, calcium and magnesium are all electrolytes—the charged particles that make up a salt. Abnormal electrolyte levels may result from persistent diarrhea or vomiting or chronic conditions such as kidney dysfunction.
Iron is an important mineral that is a component of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen to all cells and tissues in the body. A low level can be a sign of anemia or internal bleeding and should be followed up by a health care provider.
Albumin and globulin are the two types of protein included in the total protein measurement. Albumin is a blood protein that helps maintain the fluid balance in the bloodstream. Globulins play a role in liver function, blood clotting and immune function. One type, immunoglobulins—better known as antibodies—fight infections.
To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. Updated visitor guidelines. Top of the page. Topic Overview The U. It often develops within a few days of infection with HIV, but it also may occur several weeks after the person is infected.
The symptoms can range from mild to severe and usually disappear on their own after 2 to 3 weeks. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile.
Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. If you have HIV , your healthcare provider will routinely perform blood tests to evaluate the status of your immune system as measured by the CD4 count and the level of viral activity in your body as measured by the HIV viral load. In addition to these tests, others will be performed to monitor for side effects or medical issues arising from the infection itself.
Central to this is a panel of tests called the complete blood count CBC. The test measures the composition of cells in a sample of blood to flag for changes that fall outside of the "normal" range of values. By doing so, a CBC can reveal if an infection is developing or if an antiretroviral drug like AZT zidovudine is causing anemia.
A CBC measures constituent cells in your blood, including white blood cells leukocytes , red blood cells erythrocytes , and platelets thrombocytes. The test is typically ordered every three to six months but may be ordered more frequently if there is an active infection or illness. White blood cells are a subset of cells produced in bone marrow whose primary role is to fight infection. A white blood cell count WBC is one of the panel of tests included in the CBC that measures not only the total number of leukocytes but also the different types of white blood cells in a blood sample, namely:.
Other tests can then be performed to pinpoint the cause. An elevation of certain white blood cells may indicate a specific type of infection or an allergic inflammatory response.
For example, higher than normal eosinophils may suggest a parasitic infection like toxoplasmosis , while elevated basophils can develop in people with a hypersensitive drug reaction. When this occurs, the body is less able to fight infection.
A decrease in white blood cells may be the result of HIV medications like AZT or ganciclovir , a minor viral infection, or a major opportunistic infection like tuberculosis.
For this reason, they serve as the primary marker of your immune status if you have HIV. Red blood cells are responsible for transporting oxygen from the lungs to cells and tissues of the body.
0コメント