CD4+ T lymphocyte reference values of immunocompetent subjects in an African university

Abstract

CD4+ T cells play critical roles in the immune system and, being primary targets of HIV infection, they are used to measure disease progression and response to combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), alongside other parameters, in HIV/AIDS patients. The aim of this study was to determine the reference values of CD4+ T cells in a student population that was HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) negative. After ethical clearance and informed consent, 500 subjects (mean age = 26 years) were recruited, of whom 56 (11.2%) had HIV, HBV or HCV and were excluded. Blood samples were collected from the remaining 444 subjects into vacutainer tubes and analysed using the BD FACScount cytometer according to the manufacturer's instructions. Of the 444 subjects, 266 (59.9%) were male and 178 (40.1%) were female. The mean (± standard deviation) CD4+ T cell count was 987 cells/µL (± 336). The mean counts among males and females were 957 cells/µL (± 306) and 991 cells/µL (± 340), respectively. Values of CD4+ T cells ranged from 651 cells/µL to 1705 cells/µL. Subjects with higher CD4+ T Cells were more likely to be female than male. There was no direct correlation between CD4+ T cell values and age of the participants. Our findings offer the first insight into the CD4+ T cell reference values of a Nigerian student population and provide useful data that will guide future cART decisions and other immune-based therapies.